Soligenix, a Princeton, N.J.-based late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing products that address unmet medical needs in inflammation, oncology and biodefense, has been awarded a contract valued at up to $24.7 million inclusive of options by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's NIH, specifically funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The objectives of the contract are to advance the development of Soligenix's thermostabilization technology, ThermoVax, combined with the company's ricin toxin vaccine, Rivax, as a medical countermeasure (MCM) to prevent the effects of ricin exposure.

The contract contains a 16-month base period providing financial support of approximately $5.8 million, followed by several contract options that would extend the contract award for up to six years. If all contract options are exercised, the total award will support the preclinical, manufacturing and clinical development activities necessary to advance heat stable RiVax with the FDA.

This is Soligenix's third awarded federal contract. Soligenix's gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome (GI ARS) program is supported by contract awards from both the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority (BARDA) and NIAID, totaling up to approximately $32 million to support the development of OrbeShield as a MCM for GI ARS.