Siga Technologies, Inc, a company specializing in the development of pharmaceutical agents to combat bio-warfare pathogens, announced that the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced HHS's intention to make an award to Siga of a contract to deliver 1.7 million courses of its smallpox antiviral for the Strategic National Stockpile, pending resolution of issues relating to SIGA's status with the Small Business Administration. The award relates to a Request for Proposal issued by HHS's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (RFP-BARDA-09-35). The base contract, if finalized, is expected to generate revenues of approximately US$ 500 million, and the entire contract, if all options are exercised, is expected to generate revenues of approximately US$ 2.8 billion.

The Small Business Administration issues noted above derive from HHS notification to Siga that Chimerix, Inc (Chimerix) has filed a small business size protest against Siga after receiving pre-award notice from HHS that Chimerix was an unsuccessful bidder. HHS designated the proposed contract as a small business set-aside at the time of the original solicitation in March 2009. SIGA intends to respond promptly to the Small Business Administration concerning Chimerix's protest.

Dr Eric A Rose, Siga's chairman and chief executive officer, stated, "We are very proud that HHS has selected our groundbreaking drug, ST-246, for this important acquisition and believe that Siga appropriately qualified as a small business concern for this procurement."

Siga Technologies is applying viral and bacterial genomics and sophisticated computational modelling in the design and development of novel products for the prevention and treatment of serious infectious diseases, with an emphasis on products for biological warfare defense.