UPMC and GE Healthcare collaborate to protect United States from bioterrorism, infectious diseases

PITTSBURGH, PA and CHALFONT ST. GILES, UK, 12 October, 2009 -- In an effort to bolster U.S. biosecurity, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), today announced a collaboration aimed at the construction of an advanced development and production facility for the manufacture of vaccines and therapeutics to counter a range of biological threats.

In August 2009, UPMC announced its innovative proposal to build and operate such a facility through a public-private partnership that would bring together previously untapped resources to help the U.S. government meet its biodefense needs. Together, UPMC and GE Healthcare will promote to the U.S. government the concept of a facility that can rapidly produce medical countermeasures to protect against biological, radiological and nuclear threats, and certain naturally occurring diseases.

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“Together, UPMC and GE Healthcare will seek to work with the U.S. government and other partners to enhance the health and security of American citizens, while helping to restore the vitality of the nation’s economy through expansion of the biotechnology industry,” said Robert Cindrich, chief legal officer of UPMC, who has helped to spearhead the project. “Despite the need, the uncertainty of the commercial market for biodefense vaccines and drugs has hindered the development of these potentially life-saving medicines. UPMC and GE Healthcare are committed to addressing this high-priority national security issue.”

“GE Healthcare is proud to bring its long history of innovation in biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing to bear in this critical effort,” said Nigel Darby, vice president of BioTechnologies, GE Healthcare. “The facility envisaged by this collaboration is possible because of our strategic focus on driving flexibility and efficiency through ready-to-use and disposable manufacturing technologies.”

The congressionally chartered Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Proliferation and Terrorism has reported that terrorists are more likely to strike with biological weapons than nuclear weapons. The UPMC-GE Healthcare initiative targets these threats by addressing the nation’s critical need for a sustainable biodefense industrial base.

The proposed facility would be able to produce multiple vaccines and drugs to meet threats posed by terrorist attacks and infectious diseases. Using modern single-use and disposable manufacturing techniques, the facility could rapidly switch or surge production as required. At the same time, the facility would strengthen the U.S. biotechnology industry and create up to 1,000 direct and 6,000 indirect jobs.

Under the proposal, the U.S. government, along with UPMC and its partners, would share in the necessary funding. GE Healthcare would design and provide production process equipment, manufacturing processes and engineering services. A non-profit unit of UPMC called 21st Century Biodefense (21CB) would own and operate the facility, while UPMC would contribute its business, health security, integration, and other expertise.

“It is clear that our nation must invest in biologics development and manufacturing to serve the world’s biosecurity and public health needs,” said Mr. Cindrich. “The current economic downturn presents an opportune time to build this infrastructure, which ultimately will save lives and taxpayer dollars while creating jobs and training a new generation of scientists and engineers for our vital biotechnology industry.”

Source: GE