The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority awarded Gaithersburg, Md.-based Emergent BioSolutions a contract to devise and manufacture a vaccine to combat the early states of Zika, according to The Washington Post.
Here are four things to know:
1. Emergency BioSolutions was well-known for creating vaccines to fight Anthrax in 2002. The company also received a $220 million government contract in 2012 to devise an Ebola vaccine.
2. The company will work to develop and manufacture a drug to fight Zika, pending FDA approval. However, the agency may give the vaccine an "emergency use authorization" designation to quicken the approval process and allow for clinical trails by early next year.
3. Barbara Solow, Emergent's head of research and development, said their vaccine so far has shown proof of concept during animal testing.
4. No Zika vaccines are available on the market, despite the virus erupting in 46 countries since 2015.
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