The US Government has ordered $56m worth of mpox/smallpox vaccines to bolster public health preparedness, despite wider uncertainty in the US vaccine sector.
The order is via a modification to an existing ten-year contract between manufacturer Emergent BioSolutions and the government鈥檚 Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Shares in Emergent rose 5.5% soon after market open on the NYSE to $8.00. The vaccine specialist has a market cap of $423m.
ACAM2000 is indicated for active immunisation for the prevention of smallpox and mpox disease in individuals determined to be at high risk for smallpox and mpox infection. Mpox and smallpox are related as they are both caused by viruses from the same genus.
Emergent鈥檚 vaccine is made from vaccinia, a virus that is closely related to smallpox but causes milder disease. The live virus is administered not via a traditional shot but instead by a two-pronged needle that pricks the skin several times.
ACAM2000 is one of two US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved smallpox and mpox vaccines in the US, along with Bavarian Nordic鈥檚 Jynneos. This means the government relies on both Emergent and Bavarian Nordic to supply doses of the vaccine in public preparedness efforts.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don鈥檛 let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataBoth companies have secured contracts with ASPR, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to stockpile the products.
In July 2024, Emergent received a $100m contract modification from HHS to supply ACAM2000. The company heavily relies on government orders for revenue in its medical countermeasure portfolio, which also contains the anthrax vaccine Cyfendus.
Emergent is undergoing a strategic restructuring to turn around its financial fortunes. This included reducing its workforce by around 300 employees and shutting down two of its US-based complexes in May 2024.
Emergent stated that the latest contract modification 鈥渂rings the total projected sales for ACAM2000 vaccine and ancillary products to more than $120m this year from a diverse base of customers鈥�.
鈥淲ith our North American manufacturing and supply chain capabilities at the ready, and Emergent鈥檚 commitment to being a trusted partner of the US government and offering most favored pricing as part of that commitment, we are helping to strengthen public health efforts through our medical countermeasures portfolio,鈥� said Paul Williams, Emergent’s head of products business, global government and public affairs.
Meanwhile, Bavarian Nordic received a hefty $143.6m order in May 2025 to supply a freeze-dried formulation of Jynneos, a version that is easier to store and has more flexible supply chain logistics.
The order from the HHS comes amid disarray in the department due to the changing vaccine policy. HHS chief Robert F Kennedy Jr has imposed a more restrictive vaccine landscape in the US, citing efficacy and safety concerns. The US health secretary was questioned on his vaccine views in a fiery Senate hearing last week.
