SiO2 Materials Science (SiO2), a privately owned US advanced materials science corporation, recently secured government funding of $143 million in Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) investment money. Palmer Hamilton, a partner in the Government Relations Practice Group in the Washington, DC, office, and Robert Walthall, a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in the Birmingham office, represented SiO2 in the transaction.

SiO2 is responsible for introducing breakthrough disruptive technology for packaging biological pharmaceuticals and vaccines. The funding was secured with the support of Alabama’s US State Senator Richard Shelby, and it will allow SiO2 to accelerate the production of its state-of-the-art, patented, primary packaging platform for storing novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines and therapeutics.

“We are grateful to Senator Shelby for his crucial role and are proud to play a role in helping SiO2 secure BARDA funding for this important component during the global health crisis,” remarked Palmer Hamilton.

The SiO2 manufacturing plant is located in Auburn, Alabama, and the company employs more than 200 engineers, scientists, and technicians, primarily Auburn University graduates living in Lee County, Alabama. The company is currently operating at capacity and expects to onboard 200 more employees with the agreement funds. Additionally, SiO2 will be able to produce an annual capacity of 120 million vials, equating to 1 billion doses of the vaccine, once it is developed and approved for widespread use.

The agreement was formed between SiO2 and the Department of Defense’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense and BARDA, part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the US Department of Health and Human Services.

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