Dec 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Health and HumanServices (HHS) awarded contracts worth a total of about $43million to NewLink Genetics Corp and GlaxoSmithKlinePlc for faster development of two Ebola vaccines.
Under a $30 million contract, NewLink's unit BioProtectionSystems Corp will conduct clinical trials to determine thelowest dose at which its vaccine generates an effective immuneresponse, the HHS said. (http://1.usa.gov/1xJcwHi)
NewLink is developing the vaccine, rVSV-ZEBOV-GP, with U.S.drugmaker Merck & Co Inc, which bought worldwidecommercial rights for it in November.
The contract includes an option for additional funding of$41 million.
The HHS said the contract with GSK was worth $12.9 millionwith an option to raise the amount by $16,000.
GSK will establish and validate the initial material tostart the manufacturing of its vaccine, ChAd3 EBO-Z. The companywill also raise its manufacturing capacity to millions of dosesfrom thousands currently.
The death toll from Ebola in the three West Africa countrieshardest hit by the epidemic has risen to 7,518 out of 19,340confirmed cases recorded there to date, the World HealthOrganization said on Monday. (Reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by KirtiPandey)