Biomed facilities to produce ZMapp

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has issued a task order for three U.S. biotech labs to submit plans to produce ZMapp. One of the labs is housed at Texas A&M Health Science Center and works with GlaxoSmithKlein Plc, and was established in 2012 2by U.S. officials as a Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing, with $440 million in seed money. two other U.S. emergency drug manufacturing centers are a facility led by Emergent Biosolutions in Baltimore and a second in Holly Springs, North Carolina, led by Swiss drug company Novartis AG. Once proposals are submitted on Nov. 10, BARDA will choose one or more of the labs to produce the drug. Official at the Texas facility:

We are prepared to take action immediately to ramp up production on this promising experimental drug for those in need of Ebola therapies