BARDA and DoD work with SiO2 on manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine vials

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has joined forces with the Department of Defense’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) and SiO2 Materials Science to accelerate the production and scale-up of SiO2’s patented packaging platform for storing vaccines and therapeutics for use in the current pandemic, if needed, or future public health emergencies.

Increasing the capacity to manufacture vials in the United States can reduce U.S. dependence on foreign supply chains, help meet industry demands, and ensure that any surge in the demand for vials due to the COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutic developments can be accommodated without delays. With the help from the federal government, SiO2’s annual production capability will reach 120 million vials by the end of 2020 and could exceed one billion vials by April 2021, enabling maximum availability of future COVID-19 vaccines after approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Auburn, Alabama-based SiO2 produces high-performance, durable, glass-equivalent vaccine vials to store, transport, and protect vaccines.

Read more: https://www.medicalcountermeasures.gov/newsroom/2020/sio2/