News of Novavax’s successful production of an H1N1 vaccine using new technology isn’t a major surprise. However, a press release from ten years ago, almost to the day, piques one’s curiosity regarding the source (and the money, if not the intent) behind some of Novavax’s breakthroughs:
COLUMBIA, Md., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ — Novavax, Inc. (Amex: NOX) today announced that it has acquired substantially all of the assets, excluding cash and accounts receivable, of the Biomedical Services Laboratory Division of DynCorp of Reston, Va. The division, established in 1964, is engaged in contract research, development and pilot manufacturing of human vaccines for government laboratories and other vaccine companies, generating over $2 million in revenues in each of the last three years. This strategic acquisition combines Novavax’s Novasome(R) adjuvant technology with the Division’s extensive expertise in vaccine development and manufacturing to develop therapies for the treatment of various cancers and infectious diseases.
via Novavax Acquires Vaccine Development Division of DynCorp.
Why mention this purchase? DynCorp is a major, and infamous military contractor (and may even be a CIA cutout— see the ‘Dirty Tricks’ article linked at the end of this article). Why would ‘civilian muscle’ have a vaccine lab component? Could it be DynCorps helped test certain breakthroughs while serving in war-torn areas?
The above cited purchase was announced in August 1999. Guess who patented extra special vaccine production methodology in January 1999? DynCorp in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health. Here’s a screen capture of the patent grant:
Link for entire grant article and information: http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5911998/fulltext.html
This is one of three patents issued regarding the use of green monkeys to grow viruses for harvest in the production of vaccines. All three patents are in the name of Louis Potash and assigned to DynCorps and NIH. Here’s a link to an article touting Novavax as the owner of one of these three patents.
So, if Novavax purachsed the DynCorp’s lab division and all intellectual properties associated with it, why are DynCorp and NIH still listed in all three patents, even though the dates of the second and third patents are clearly AFTER the purchase? Could it be that Novavax is just a cutout for DynCorps?
By the way, it’s important to note that DynCorps (which had been trading at near junk status) has now been upgraded by Standard & Poor on news of new military contracts for work in southern Afghanistan. Also, recently, DynCorps won a contract with FEMA to provide housing for disaster victims.
It’s looking more and more like there’s a dark, military aspect to the many faces of the H1N1 pandemic. Are you ready for your flu shot?
Read more about DynCorp at these outside links:
More War, More Money for DynCorp
ECUADOR: Farmers Fight DynCorp’s Chemwar on the Amazon
Dirty Tricks, Inc.: The DynCorp-Government Connection
Is DynCorps involved in PROMIS and the Missing/Dead Microbiologists?
