Siga signs BARDA contract for smallpox drug worth up to $629M

Siga Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:SIGA) signed a contract with HHS's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to deliver oral and IV formulations of its TPOXX tecovirimat drug to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile. In July, oral TPOXX became the first approved smallpox drug in the U.S. (see “Siga Gets Priority Review Voucher for First Approved Smallpox Drug”).

The contract includes a base period valued at $52 million to fund development activities for the IV formulation of TPOXX, plus delivery of about 35,700 courses of oral TPOXX and bulk drug substance to manufacture 20,000 courses of the IV product...