HHS COVID-19 Contracts Totaled $9 Billion by Mid-June, GAO Finds

Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions was the government’s highest-paid drug or vaccine vendor as of mid-June at $643 million, out of nearly $9 billion issued by HHS for COVID-19, according to a new report released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals came in second with $607 million. Moderna ranked only 10th with $430 million, but that contract from HHS’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) was expanded this week by $472 million to help pay for a phase 3 trial of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate (DID, July 28).

AstraZeneca also ranked in the top 10 of HHS’ drug vendors at the time with more than $413 million in contract obligations.

Read the full report here: www.fdanews.com/07-29-20-GAOReportCOVID-19Contracting.pdf. — Jordan Williams