MedImmune is expanding its vaccine manufacturing facilities in Frederick, Md.

   Major public and private sector projects targeting infectious diseases are providing an economic shot in the arm for Maryland.
   MedImmune, which recently was awarded a $170-million, five-year contract from the U.S. Health & Human Services Dept. to develop cell-based influenza vaccines (see p. 628), is in the midst of a major expansion program at its Frederick facility. The $250-million investment will add 331,000 sq. ft. (30,750 sq. m.) of office, laboratory and manufacturing space to accommodate up to 225 new employees. Phase 1, which will provide two commercial-scale bioreactors used to manufacture monoclonal antibodies, is projected to be complete in late 2009. It is the first of four phases of potential expansion at the site. The final three phases will add approximately 379,000 sq. ft. (35,200 sq. m.) of space.
   "Our current manufacturing site in Frederick thrives because of the abundance of resources and talent available through the support of local and state government and educational institutions in the area," said Randall Turner, vice president, engineering and facilities, when the project was announced. MedImmune, which recently began shipping new doses of its signature flu vaccine, FluMist, is also expanding its headquarters campus in Gaithersburg with a new office tower and pilot lab, set for completion later this year. The headquarters expansion and the

The C.W. Bill Young Center for Biodefense & Emerging Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Md., is a four-story, $182.6-million building that includes biosafety level 2 and 3 laboratories.

Frederick project will eventually result in 840 new jobs, the company says.
   The C.W. Bill Young Center for Biodefense & Emerging Infectious Diseases was dedicated in May on the Bethesda campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The four-story, $182.6-million building includes biosafety level 2 and 3 laboratories. The Center enables the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases to expand and consolidate existing research programs.
   Frederick is also the scene of a big government project, the National Biodefense Analysis & Countermeasures Center (NBACC), located at the new National Interagency Biodefense Campus (NIBC) at Fort Detrick. Construction on the 160,000-sq.-ft. (14,800-sq.-m.) facility will begin in 2008. Chevron Energy Solutions and Keenan Development will build a $100-million central utility plant to provide secure energy to the NIBC. The plant will be the first energy project established through the Dept. of Defense's enhanced-use leasing authority, which allows private companies to develop military property.
   Delaware is also making strides on the vaccine front. The Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology in Newark is using $15 million in new funding to develop a prototype lab to make plant-based vaccines.