U.S. to buy Siga's IV drug worth $26 mln to fight monkeypox outbreak (updated)

SIGA Technologies

09/08/2022 13:16

(Adds details on contract, background)
    Aug 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. government will buy Siga
Technologies Inc's  SIGA.O  $26-million worth of intravenous
formulation of antiviral drug Tpoxx, the company said on
Tuesday, as the country fights an outbreak of monkeypox cases.
    The company plans to deliver by next year the order for the
IV treatment, which would be a vital option for patients unable
to swallow the oral pill as monkeypox symptoms include rashes
and blisters in the mouth. 
    More than 27,800 cases of monkeypox have been reported in
over 80 countries where the disease is not endemic. The United
States has reported more than 7,500 cases.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N2XF1XF
   The oral and intravenous formulations of Tpoxx are approved
by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of
smallpox, but does not yet have clearance to treat monkeypox.
    However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has
provided a guidance for its use under 'expanded access' as an
investigational drug. (https://bit.ly/3p46D6j)
    The company said the government has also decided to fund a
post-marketing field study for the intravenous form of the drug.
    Siga has also received multiple orders for its oral drug
from Canada as well as countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2YT3DJ

 (Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
 ((Leroy.Dsouza@thomsonreuters.com ; Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeroyLeo7;))