Oct 23, 2023   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Meridian Medical Technologies, LLC, and the European Commission’s DG HERA Sign Agreement for 13 Countries From the EEA to Purchase Tecovirimat SIGA

Meridian Medical Technologies, LLC (Meridian), a global health security leader in providing medical countermeasures, today announced a framework contract under the Joint Procurement Agreement (JPA) was signed between Meridian and the European Commission’s Directorates-General (DG) HERA (Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority). As part of a promotional licensing agreement, Meridian is a global commercialization partner for SIGA Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIGA), which is the marketing authorization holder and manufacturer of Tecovirimat SIGA. Under the JPA, 13 participating countries from the European Economic Area (EEA) (Contracting Parties) can now efficiently purchase Tecovirimat SIGA, which has been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the treatment of smallpox, monkeypox, cowpox, and vaccinia complications. This agreement will result in country-level procurement of oral Tecovirimat SIGA and serve as a template for future procurement opportunities.

“Time is of the essence during medical emergencies, as we saw in 2022 when EU member states required emergency shipments of Tecovirimat SIGA to treat patients infected with mpox,” said Meridian Commercial Head – Injectables & Health Security, Tom Handel. “This joint procurement framework contract, a significant milestone for both Meridian and HERA, reduces the time and effort required to put individual contracts in place with each member state from months to days. There are now multiple paths in Europe for streamlined procurement, allowing member state agencies to get much needed medical countermeasures into the hands of those in need.”

About Meridian Medical Technologies, LLC

Meridian Medical Technologies, LLC, a division of Kindeva Drug Delivery, is a global health security leader that provides medical countermeasures to agencies around the world. The company has been putting emergency care treatment options into the hands of military and civilian defenders for more than 60 years, including the United States Department of Defense, emergency medical services, homeland security, and more than 30 nations around the world, to help defend against critical, time-sensitive, life-or-death situations.

About Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA)

HERA is a key pillar of the European Health Union and a fundamental asset to strengthen the EU’s health emergency response and preparedness. HERA was established in September 2021 to replace ad hoc solutions to pandemic management and response with a permanent structure with adequate tools and resources to plan the EU action in case of health emergencies. One of the key goals of HERA is to ensure the development, manufacturing, procurement, and equitable distribution of key medical countermeasures.