Pharmaceutical companies including GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Novartis AG will get government grants to help develop medicines against pandemics and bioterrorist threats, the U.S. government said on Monday. The two drugmakers - among the world’s largest vaccine makers - as well as U.S.-based Emergent Biosolutions Inc will work with U.S. universities and smaller biotechnology companies at one of three centers to develop and manufacture the medicines. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the partnership to ensure enough critical medicines - such as protection against pandemics like influenza or biological attacks like anthrax - are manufactured within U.S. borders.
