Award Covers Development and Manufacturing of Filovirus Vaccine in West Baltimore

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, February 9, 2012 – The University of Maryland BioPark announced today that Paragon Bioservices, one of its tenants at the BioPark in Baltimore, has been awarded a $15 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and produce the “VEE Replicon Particle Trivalent Filovirus Vaccine.”

“Paragon and the University are ideal collaborative partners,” said Jim Hughes, UM Health Sciences Research Park Corporation President. “Our School of Medicine faculty, including Director of the Center for Vaccine Development Myrone Levine, will provide expertise and services to the company as part of the contract. Paragon’s rapid growth on the BioPark campus over the past two years has been tremendous. This significant award from the Department of Defense is very exciting for all of us.”  

Today, Paragon has approximately 75 employees housed within one of the Wexford Science & Technology, LLC buildings on the BioPark campus. In fall 2010, Paragon signed an expanded lease on two floors within the BioPark, more than doubling its space just a year and a half after locating here.

According to Marco Chacón, Ph.D., CEO of Paragon, “We are honored that Paragon has been selected for this contract—one that includes the application of great science and bioprocess toward better public health and national preparedness. We are proud to be a part of the UM community in Baltimore and to work with our partners here to address important health care needs.”

Paragon’s extensive expertise in virus and vaccine (VLP) production and purification will be enhanced through collaboration with world-recognized virologists and vaccine experts from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD) and Harrisvaccines (Ames, IA).

About the University of Maryland BioPark

University of Maryland, Baltimore is among the nation’s leaders in education, research, public service, and patient care. As the founding campus of the University System of Maryland, UM has celebrated more than 200 years of excellence. The 12-acre University of Maryland BioPark is driving the commercialization of new drugs, diagnostics and devices, bringing much-needed laboratory and office space to the area and encouraging collaboration among biotechnology companies and the university. Two multi-tenant lab and office buildings totaling 356,000 square feet and housing 24 tenants have been completed. A third commercial building is expected to begin construction in 2012 along with the groundbreaking Maryland Proton Treatment Center. The Maryland Forensic Medical Center—the most advanced in the nation—opened in summer 2010. 

About Wexford Science & Technology, LLC

Wexford Science & Technology, LLC is a private real estate investment and development company that meets the growing and specialized facilities needs of for-profit and not-for-profit institutions, including universities, university-related research parks and healthcare systems. More information is available at wexfordscitech.com.

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