Emergent BioSolutions says it acquired the rPA anthrax vaccine candidate from VaxGen in an effort to add to its anthrax countermeasures products. Officials say the rPA vaccine has completed a phase 2 clinical study in an effort to establish its candidacy for a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services contract to establish 25 million doses of an rPA anthrax vaccine for the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile.

Emergent is also the manufacturer of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved BioThrax vaccine for the prevention of anthrax disease. Official say Emergent will now manufacture the new rPA anthrax vaccine along with BioThrax to further establish itself in the biological weapons threat countermeasure market.

"As the manufacturer of the only FDA approved anthrax vaccine, Emergent BioSolutions has a proven track record of delivering critical bio-defense countermeasures to the U.S. government," Fuad El-Hibri, Emergent chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "Given HHS's stated commitment to procure up to an additional 25 million doses of a recombinant anthrax vaccine for the Strategic National Stockpile, we felt this was the right opportunity for our company at the right time."