Northrop Grumman Security Systems was among the first eight contract winners for a Health and Human Services grant to develop effective countermeasures – or preventive steps – against both man-made and natural biological threats.
The HHS BARDA grant (short for Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) awarded an initial total amount of $55 million, and the amount could be as much as $100 million over three years.
Northrop Grumman’s award will be used to develop diagnostic capabilities that are necessary for molecular diagnostics, as well as faster high-throughput surveillance, according to a report from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
The search for solutions to public health issues intensified after HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued a review last month, which called for fresh approaches to overcoming “bottlenecks†in countermeasure innovation.
