Emergent BioSolutions Awarded NIAID Contract That Increases Potential Funding to Over $58 Million for Advanced Development of Third Generation Anthrax Vaccine

Friday, 10. September 2010

New Contract Valued at up to $28.7 Million for Phase II Clinical Trial

ROCKVILLE, Md., Sep 01, 2010 –Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced today that it has signed a contract valued at up to $28.7 million with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), an institute within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for advanced development of the company’s third generation anthrax vaccine candidate. The award of this contract increases to over $58 million the total potential development funding from NIAID for this product. This product candidate, one of two third generation vaccines being developed as part of Emergent’s anthrax franchise, consists of BioThrax(R) (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed) in combination with a novel immunostimulatory compound, CPG 7909 (VaxImmuneTM).

“Emergent applauds the U.S. government’s commitment to protecting the nation against biological threats by supporting critical development of advanced vaccine and therapeutic candidates,” said Daniel J. Abdun-Nabi, president and chief operating officer of Emergent BioSolutions. “We believe our vaccine candidate addresses key criteria established by the government for a third generation anthrax vaccine. If successfully developed, we believe this product would strengthen the government’s portfolio of biodefense medical countermeasures.”

This four-year development contract consists of a two-year base, valued at $9.1 million, and milestone-based options that if exercised, would increase the total contract value to up to $28.7 million. The base contract will fund activities related to manufacturing and stability studies of Phase II clinical trial lots, process characterization and assay validation, and clinical trial preparation. The milestone-based options include continued stability testing of Phase II clinical trial lots and a clinical study to evaluate safety and immunogenicity of the product candidate. The Phase II clinical trial is anticipated to begin in the first quarter of 2012, with preliminary data expected to be available in the second half of 2012.

This new contract was awarded to expand the development efforts being conducted under a Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)/NIAID contract awarded in September 2008, which provides for funding of up to $29.7 million. Thus, with this new contract, the potential funding from the U.S. government for this third generation anthrax vaccine candidate increases to over $58 million.

About Emergent BioSolutions Inc.
Emergent BioSolutions Inc., led by Chairman and CEO Fuad El-Hibri, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacture and commercialization of vaccines and antibody therapies that assist the body’s immune system to prevent or treat disease. Emergent’s marketed product, BioThrax(R) (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), is the only vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of anthrax infection. Emergent’s product pipeline targets infectious diseases and includes programs focused on anthrax, tuberculosis, typhoid, flu and chlamydia.Additional information may be found at www.emergentbiosolutions.com .

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, including any potential future securities offering, our expected revenue growth and net earnings for 2010, and any other statements containing the words “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “estimates” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including the success of our ongoing and planned preclinical studies and clinical trials; our plans to pursue label expansions and improvements for BioThrax(R); the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of our products; the success of our ongoing and planned development programs; the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our other product candidates; our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing; and other factors identified in the company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.

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Colman McCarthy to Receive 2010 EL-HIBRI Peace Education Prize

Friday, 20. August 2010

August  17,  2010  — The El-Hibri Charitable Foundation announced today that prominent peace educator, nationally renowned columnist and accomplished author Colman McCarthy has been selected as the recipient of the  2010 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize. The Prize, which carries a monetary award of  $15,000, is given annually by the foundation to honor an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the field of peace education. McCarthy’s selection was made by a committee of peace education experts chaired by Dr. Mubarak Awad, President of Nonviolence International.

“Colman McCarthy has dedicated his life to teaching young people the principles of peaceful conflict resolution,” noted Robert Buchanan, president of the El-Hibri Charitable Foundation. “His personal commitment and example, combined with his access to national media, have inspired countless individuals to incorporate the values of peace and nonviolence in their personal and professional lives. The El-Hibri Charitable Foundation is pleased to recognize Colman McCarthy for his tireless efforts on behalf of peace education.”

McCarthy was a columnist with The Washington Post from  1969 to 1997. He also wrote for The New Yorker, The Nation, and The Atlantic, among other publications, and has been a frequent guest on C-SPAN. In addition to his career in journalism, McCarthy has been teaching courses on nonviolence and peace studies for nearly thirty years at Washington, D.C. area schools, universities, and student leadership programs. In 1985, he founded and continues to lead the Center for Teaching Peace, a non-profit organization that works with schools and individuals around the world to initiate and expand academic programs in peace education .

McCarthy’s publications include  “I’d Rather Teach Peace”,  “All of One Peace” and  “At Rest with the Animals”. He is also the editor of two anthologies of peace essays that are used as course texts in high schools and colleges:  “Solutions to Violence” and  “Strength Through Peace”.

The  2010 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize will be awarded to Colman McCarthy at a ceremony to be held at 6:30 p.m. on September  25th at the El-Hibri Charitable Foundation’s Washington, D.C. headquarters.

The El-Hibri Charitable Foundation is a  501(c)(3) non-profit private foundation. The foundation seeks to build a better world by encouraging peace education, interfaith dialogue, humanitarian aid and social justice.    The El-Hibri Peace Education Prize was initiated in  2007. Past Laureates include Abdul Aziz Said, founder of the Center for Global Peace at American University; Scott Kennedy, peace activist and co-founder of the Resource Center for Nonviolence; and Mary E. King, international educator, author and policy advisor.

For further information, visit http://www.elhibriprize.org

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The El-Hibri Foundation Launches Website

Wednesday, 14. July 2010

The El-Hibri Foundation is a nonprofit organization with the goal of fostering dialogue between various religions and encouraging nonviolent solutions to global challenges affecting humankind.  The Foundation has a new website at www.elhibrifoundation.org.

The Foundation, lead by Chairman of the Board of Trustees Fuad El-HIbri, is divided into four different initiatives: The Peace Education Initiative, The Interfaith Dialogue Initiative, The Humanitarian Aid Initiative, and The Social Justice Initiative.

Fuad El-Hibri awards the 2009 Peace Education award

Fuad El-Hibri awards the 2009 Peace Education award

The Peace Education Initiative focuses on conflict resolution, embracing cultural diversity, and supporting cross-cultural approaches to peace-building.  The Interfaith Dialogue Initiative focuses on supporting understanding between the three Abrahamic faiths: Islam, Judaism and Christianity.  The Humanitarian Aid Initiative provides grants to organizations that aim at delivering education and medical care to the disadvantaged.  The last of the four initiatives is the Social Justice Initiative.  The Social Justice Initiative addresses issues of equality, justice and human rights, especially for women and children.

The El-Hibri Foundation promotes these four initiatives through the provision of grants.  Since its creation in 2001, the Foundation has given away 36 grants totaling over 8.2 million dollars.

For more information on the El-Hibri Foundation visit their website:  www.elhibrifoundation.org

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Nominations Being Accepted Now for 2010 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize

Wednesday, 3. March 2010

The El-Hibri Peace Education Prize is awarded yearly to an individual who is making valuable contributions to peace education and social justice in the Middle East.  The purpose of the $10,000 prize is to recognize outstanding peace educators, to provide financial support to continue peace education and study, and to promote the importance of peace education globally by affirming efforts to integrate peacemaking into curricula at all levels of education.

The prize was founded in 2007 by businessman and philanthropist Fuad El-Hibri and his wife Nancy El-Hibri in order to highlight the importance of peace education and to support people who are working for a just, peaceful and healthy planet.  El-Hibri is the CEO of Emergent BioSolutions, as well Chairman of the El-Hibri Charitable Foundation.  Past winners include Professor Abdul Aziz Said, the Mohammed Said Farsi Chair of Islamic Peace at American University; Scott Kennedy, an influential Peace Educator for 40 years; and Dr. Mary Elizabeth King a professor of peace and conflict studies at the United Nations-affiliated University for Peace.

Nominations for the 2010 prize will be accepted until June 6, 2010, with the winner announced on July 11, 2010.  The award will be presented on September 21, 2010, which is the International Day of Peace. Nominees can be individuals or organizations based in the United States making valuable contributions to the theory, practice, and teaching of peace and social justice in the Middle East.  More information about the nomination process and the prize itself can be found at http://www.elhibriprize.org .

Nominations, questions, and financial contributions may be sent to: nonviolence@igc.org

October 9, 2008 – Farr Honors Former Santa Cruz Mayor

Saturday, 17. October 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – R. Scott Kennedy, former mayor of Santa Cruz and co-founder of the city’s Resource Center for Nonviolence, was presented with the 2008 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize. This prize, including a check for $10,000, is a joint effort between Nonviolence International, American University and the El-Hibri family.
Nancy El-Hibri presented Kennedy the prize honoring his service as a “peace educator and activist of extraordinary impact.” The award presentation ceremony highlighted his central role in “establishing and promoting the now cottage industry of educational delegations for peace to Central America and the Middle East.”
Congressman Sam Farr (D-Carmel), entered a congratulatory statement in the Congressional Record paying tribute to Kennedy.
“It is with great pleasure that I call attention to Dr. Scott Kennedy’s work to bring peace to the world over the course of his lifetime,” Rep. Farr wrote. “He has been a Peace Educator for 40 years and was instrumental in pioneering educational delegations to conflict zones, now a widely practiced form of peace education.”
During the October 4 award ceremony, Kennedy remarked, “Peace education in the classroom is valuable, yet needs to be complemented with pragmatic, hands-on efforts in our communities to make peace and justice a living reality.” He expressed deep appreciation for the many colleagues at the Resource Center for Nonviolence as well as the citizens of Santa Cruz for their tremendous support and inspiration.
Mr. Fuad El-Hibri, who established the El-Hibri Peace Education Prize, noted that he and the El-Hibri Charitable Foundation will continue to support the prize and its growth each year in an effort to highlight the importance of peace education, and to support people who are working for a just, peaceful and healthy planet.
Kennedy is co-founder of Witness for Peace, the Resource Center for Nonviolence and Interfaith Peacebuilders, which has sent educational around the world to countries whose people suffer from conflict, lack of educational opportunities and social injustice.

Source : : http://www.farr.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=442