April 13, 2005
Partners Frank Rapoport, Donna Yesner, John Clerici, and John Howell helped negotiate a $98 million contract for longtime client Sanofi Pasteur to develop a cell-based pandemic flu vaccine. This federal contract is the largest awarded to Sanofi Pasteur to date.
The contract will allow the company to develop a cell-based vaccine to administer in case of a flu pandemic. (A flu pandemic is when a mutated version of the flu virus naturally occurs and spreads among the human population). The 1918 pandemic killed millions of Americans and hundreds of millions worldwide. Some sources suspect that the current Avian flu outbreaks in Asia signal a pending pandemic. They also predict that without a viable vaccine, the United States could lose as many as 50 million people in the next pandemic.
Since 2001, Frank, Donna, and John Clerici, assisted by Chris Bouquet, Stephen Ruscus, and recent addition John Howell, have helped Sanofi Pasteur negotiate contracts for a SARS vaccine, two Avian flu (H5N1) vaccines, and two pandemic awards, totaling more than $200 million.