He insisted he had not been officially told Acambis had missed out on the contract.

BBC: Inquiry calls over vaccine contract

Acambis estimates that a vaccine could potentially save the lives of 500, 000 children a year in the developing world.

BBC: Go-ahead for GM diarrhoea vaccine tests

The new agreement is for 155 million additional doses to be manufactured by British-based Acambis PLC, by the end of next year, Thompson said.

CNN: Administration to buy smallpox vaccine

Acambis, a British firm with U.S. headquarters in Cambridge, Mass.

FORBES: Biotechs See Dollar Signs In War

"I don't see this bio-defense sector going anywhere but up, " says Thomas Monath , chief scientific officer for Acambis (nasdaq: ACAM - news - people ).

FORBES: Biotechs See Dollar Signs In War