EBOLA: CANADA SIGNS $4.5MILLION CONTRACT FOR MANUFACTURE OF ZMAPP

Canada's Minister of Health, The Honorable Rona Ambrose and Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr.  Gregory Taylor have announced a $4.5 million USD contract between the government of Canada and Mapp Biopharmaceuticals Inc. to manufacture a number of zmapp monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment for Ebola.
Zmapp treatment developed by Mapp Biopharmaceuticals uses two mAbs discovered by scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg and mAb discovered by the U.S Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).
The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved zmapp for clinical trials in the United States and West Africa and it has shown promise when used  to treat infected humans.
The production of zmapp in Canada will help strengthen the nations preparedness for Ebola.
However, treatment with zmapp is authorised to be used only in emergency cases.