CDC funds tests to sort seasonal, avian flu

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Influenza, General
Pandemic Influenza

Jun 17, 2008 (CDIRAP News) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded two contracts worth a total of $12.9 million to develop influenza tests, with the aim of making it possible to distinguish seasonal from avian flu viruses within 3 hours.

Contracts worth about $6.5 million each were awarded to Nanogen Inc., San Diego, and Meso Scale Diagnostics, LLC, Gaithersburg, Md., the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week.

The contracts are for "initial phased development," HHS officials said in a news release. Possible additional funds under the contracts could bring the total for Nanogen to $10.4 million and the total for Meso Scale Diagnostics to $12.1 million over 3 years, the statement said.

Testing for H5N1 avian influenza now can take up to 24 hours, according to HHS. The contracts will support the advanced development of tests that could be used in hospital or commercial laboratories and "would expedite the diagnosis of large numbers of patients," the agency said.

"The early detection of emerging pandemic influenza is critical to the nation's pandemic response," HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said in the HHS news release. "Early detection will aid in improving patient survival, overall health outcomes, and use of containment measures in the event of an influenza pandemic."

Nanogen, in a Jun 5 news release, said it would use the funding to develop "a fast molecular test that simultaneously detects and differentiates" influenza A and B, the seasonal influenza A subtypes H1N1 and H3N2, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In addition, the contract provides for a secondary test for avian flu subtypes H5N1, H7N1, and H9N1, to be used for samples that test positive for influenza A but negative for seasonal flu.

The company said it would develop the tests in collaboration with the Medical College of Wisconsin and HandyLab Inc.

Nanogen and Meso Scale were among four companies that received CDC contracts in December 2006 to develop 30-minute tests specifically for H5N1 influenza. At that time the CDC said it hoped a test could be ready and licensed within 2 to 3 years. The other companies that won contracts were Iquum, of Marlborough, Mass., and Cepheid, Sunnyvale, Calif.

See also:

Jun 12 HHS news release

Dec 4, 2006, CIDRAP News story "CDC funds work on rapid tests for avian flu"

This week's top reads

  1. Studies detail high rates of long COVID among healthcare, dental workers

    The most common symptom reported by healthcare workers was fatigue.

    Stephanie Soucheray
    health worker in mask

  2. Top virologists urge world leaders to act on rising avian flu threat

    Global Virus Network scientists highlight the need for robust surveillance, enhanced biosecurity, and readiness for potential human-to-human viral transmission.

    Mary Van Beusekom

  3. CIDRAP launches Vaccine Integrity Project to help safeguard US vaccine use

    The steering committee will make recommendations on how non-governmental groups can help ensure that vaccine use is evidence-based.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    MMR vaccine vial on table

  4. US measles cases climb higher, approach 900

    Thirty states have cases, and 83% of infections are part of outbreaks, the largest centered  in West Texas.

    Lisa Schnirring
    young boy with measles

  5. Tick-borne meat allergy may be related to urbanization in mid-Atlantic US

    The study identified open-space development and low population density as risk factors for Alpha-gal syndrome. 

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Lone star tick

  6. USDA withdraws proposal to reduce Salmonella in poultry

    The Biden-era rule would have prevented the sale of raw chicken or turkey with certain levels or strains of Salmonella.

    Chris Dall
    Raw poultry in processing plant

  7. New agreement geared toward universal avian flu vaccine

    The mRNA vaccine targets all major clades of the H5 avian flu subtype.

    Stephanie Soucheray

  8. Quick takes: Mpox outbreak in Malawi, more H5N1 in Idaho and California dairy cows

    The cases in Malawi bring the number of African countries affected by mpox to 23.

    Lisa Schnirring

  9. Measles cases in Europe, the Americas skyrocket

    Almost 90% of the European cases were reported in Romania.

    Stephanie Soucheray
    measles vax

  10. 'On the precipice of disaster': Measles may be endemic in 25 years if vaccine uptake stays low, model predicts

    A 10% decline in vaccine uptake could lead to 11.1 million cases of the highly contagious illness in that timeframe.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Measles virus

Our underwriters