EL SEGUNDO, Calif. and DEERFIELD, Ill., April 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Computer Sciences Corporation today announced that DVC LLC, a CSC company, has been awarded a two-year, $19.6 million contract from the Department of Defense Medical Identification and Treatment Systems (MITS) Joint Product Management Office to develop plasma-derived human butyrylcholinesterase.
Under the contract, DVC will lead a collaborative effort with Baxter Healthcare Corporation, a leader in the development and manufacturing of plasma-derived therapeutics.
The contract includes process development and manufacturing of a candidate therapeutic to be used in a phase 1 clinical trial. Nicknamed “BioScavenger,” this candidate is being developed for its potential to provide protection from the toxic effects of certain chemical warfare agents.
Butyrylcholinesterase is an enzyme found in human blood plasma that has been shown to inhibit organophosphorous chemical nerve agents such as Sarin, Soman and VX.
“DVC has been developing biological products to protect against potential biowarfare threat agents since 1997,” said DVC President Terry Irgens. “This award marks DVC’s expansion into treatments for exposure to chemical warfare agents.”
“Baxter is extremely pleased to be working with DVC in this new chemical defense endeavor,” said Joy Amundson, Corporate Vice President of Baxter Healthcare Corporation and President of the company’s Bioscience business. “This project expands Baxter’s role in utilizing its state-of-the-art plasma and cell-culture technology platforms to provide therapeutics for critical biodefense and public health initiatives.”
MITS centrally manages the development, acquisition and fielding of products used for the prophylaxis, treatment and diagnosis of chemical and biological warfare agent exposure in U.S. military personnel. MITS products range from specific hardware devices that enable medical personnel to diagnose specific biological warfare agent exposure, to drugs that prevent or mitigate the actions of chemical or biological agents.
DVC is a biodefense contractor dedicated to the development and licensure of safe and efficacious biological products. DVC is part of CSC’s Enforcement, Security and Intelligence organization, which CSC created in 2001 to support programs enhancing U.S. security.
About Baxter
Baxter Healthcare Corporation is the principal U.S. operating subsidiary of Baxter International Inc. . Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, assists health-care professionals and their patients with the treatment of complex medical conditions, including cancer, hemophilia, immune disorders, kidney disease and trauma. The company applies its expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.
About CSC
Founded in 1959, Computer Sciences Corporation is a leading global information technology (IT) services company. CSC’s mission is to provide customers in industry and government with solutions crafted to meet their specific challenges and enable them to profit from the advanced use of technology.
With approximately 79,000 employees, CSC provides innovative solutions for customers around the world by applying leading technologies and CSC’s own advanced capabilities. These include systems design and integration; IT and business process outsourcing; applications software development; Web and application hosting; and management consulting. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., CSC reported revenue of $13.9 billion from continuing operations for the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2004. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.csc.com/.
Computer Sciences Corporation
CONTACT: April Finnen, Public Relations of DVC LLC, +1-301-607-5004,afinnen@csc.com; or Mike Dickerson, Director, Media Relations, Corporate,+1-310-615-1647, mdickers@csc.com, or Bill Lackey, Director, InvestorRelations, Corporate, +1-310-615-1700, blackey3@csc.com, both of ComputerSciences Corporation
Web site: http://www.csc.com/
