Synthetic biology specialist Manus Bio has scored a $15 million contract from the U.S. government to create a domestic supply source for shikimic acid, a key starting material used in the production of influenza drug Tamiflu.
The agreement comes by way of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is working to bolster the U.S.' pharmaceutical supply chain as a national security matter.
The ASPR funding will help Manus add another large-scale fermentation line at its Augusta, Georgia, facility, the company said in a Feb. 18 press release. Manus estimates that more than 80% of the key ingredients for U.S. essential medicines are either produced or sourced from overseas, primarily in China and India.
Shikimic acid is a key intermediate traditionally extracted from star anise that has been used to synthesize Tamiflu's active ingredient, oseltamivir. As it stands, the component is "sourced entirely from China," according to the ASPR.
“Rather than replicating outdated foreign manufacturing practices, we’re deploying next-generation American technology,” Christine Santos, Manus' chief technology officer, said in a statement.
“Using advanced biology and precision fermentation, we engineer microorganisms into highly efficient ‘cell factories’ that can produce critical bioalternative ingredients and inputs domestically," she explained.
The deal comes on the heels of Manus receiving $32.4 million from the HHS' Defense Production Act Title III program in November 2024. Under that tie-up, Manus is teaming up with continuous flow chemistry specialist ArtemiFlow to help produce critical medicines at scale in the U.S.
At the time, Manus noted that it would also expand its Augusta plant to add capabilities in key starting material and active pharmaceutical ingredient production.
The first component slated for production on Manus and ArtemiFlow's combined platform was artemisinin, a key starting material for artesunate, an antiparasitic drug used to fight malaria, the companies previously said.