On 14 August 2020, the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), supported by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), entered into a $750,000 cooperative agreement with Plasma Technologies, LLC. The agreement is to develop and optimize a process to produce higher yielding anti-COVID-19 immune serum for scale-up and manufacturing, if successful. A higher yield hyperimmune serum would be an improvement over the current standard method. Convalescent plasma, which is collected from a person who has recovered from a disease, may be beneficial in the treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19.
Plasma Technologies, LLC has developed and patented a novel plasma separation process which results in higher yields of immunoglobulin and other plasma proteins. This award will provide the necessary funding to establish a proof of concept of activities on a larger scale, demonstrating the potential for a greater supply of available convalescent plasma for the nation’s use. This agreement is the latest in a series of recent contracting actions highlighting a collaborative “whole-of-government” approach in response to the COVID-19 threat.
The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) partnered with HHS and the Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), to select Plasma Technologies, LLC for this cooperative agreement. Plasma Technologies, LLC, a plasma biologics technology company, is located in Charleston, South Carolina.
“Combating novel viruses requires novel solutions,” said Joint Program Executive Officer for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense, Douglas Bryce. “Leveraging relationships with industry partners who are creating new technologies to fight biological agents of concern, like COVID-19, supports our warfighters facing these threats on the battlefield and improves overall public health outcomes. We are eager to determine if convalescent plasma and this innovative separation process will be valuable tools that can be used to enhance the nation’s COVID-19 response, through this cooperative agreement.”
This CARES Act funded effort is part of the ongoing collaboration between DOD and HHS to preposition and improve access to the nation’s critical medical resources, and manufacture them by American companies in U.S. facilities, aiding in industrial base expansion.
