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--- robin_robinson [2023/10/17 19:02]
pamela [Dr. Robin Robinson, Founding Director of BARDA Joins RenovaCare]
+++ robin_robinson [2023/10/17 20:41] (current)
pamela [COVID mRNA Contract Awards]
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 ===== Robin Robinson =====
+==== Awards Creating PREP Act - Avian & Swine Flu Vaccines ====
+{{::robin_robinson_2009_award_pic_.png?200|}}
+Led the development of the first avian influenza [[:H5N1]] vaccine—cited as the #3 medical breakthrough of 2007 by TIME magazine.
+When news of the recent [[:swine flu]] outbreak hit, a lot of people raised questions about our government’s preparedness to deal with such a threat and whether or not the presidential transition, which has created several vacancies in key leadership posts, left the American people particularly vulnerable.
+The reality is that our government is in a much better position to deal with this type of risk than it was a few short years ago, and one big reason is the [[:Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority]] (BARDA). The man who runs and practically singlehandedly built this office is Dr. Robin Robinson.
+“Our way of thinking and doing business has completely changed. In the past, government and industry were timid. After Katrina, we saw what can happen if you don’t prepare properly for a disaster. We now leave no stone unturned. That approach permeates every aspect of our work, from the stockpiling of vaccines to the R&D,” said Dr. Robinson.
+Tucked away within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), **BARDA provides an integrated, systematic approach to the development and purchase** of the necessary vaccines, drugs, therapies and diagnostic tools for public health medical emergencies.
+Barely five years old, BARDA has already made significant achievements under Dr. Robinson’s leadership. In particular, this unit led the development of a vaccine for the strain of bird flu that has killed more than 200 people since 2003.
+[[:TIME]] magazine recognized this discovery as the third most significant medical breakthrough of 2007. Dr. Robinson’s team also established a **pandemic influenza vaccine stockpile for at least 20 million people** two years ahead of schedule, and it has plans to expand this stockpile to include 150 million doses.
+Looking forward, the establishment of this office now means our government can hit the ground running when it comes to developing treatments for outbreaks like the swine flu.
+**Congress created this new office as part of the Pandemic Flu and All Hazards Preparedness Act of 2004. Dr. Robinson was recruited from private industry to help start the office.
+**
+“I was asked to head the pandemic influenza work after I had already worked to develop a number of vaccines in the private sector. I felt that I could make more of a difference in the public sector with the resources provided,” said Dr. Robinson.
+“When he started, he was an army of one,” said Dr. [[:Noreen Hynes]] of [[:Johns Hopkins]] Medical Center, who was Dr. Robinson’s supervisor at HHS from April 2005 to December 2006. “All of the initial accomplishments were just Robin: sending out the request for proposals, setting up the review panels, putting out the requests for information.”
+Congress would eventually appropriate billions to support Dr. Robinson’s work on the [[:avian flu vaccine]]. He quickly used these new resources to build out his internal team. He also succeeded in convincing private research firms to join in this effort.
+Dr. Gerald Parker, a deputy assistant secretary at HHS who recommended Dr. Robinson for his current job, cites a variety of factors for Dr. Robinson’s success. “Obstacles always present themselves, especially in the medical vaccine and all hazards medicine industry. Dr. Robinson displays agility and flexibility to listen to other views and incorporates them into a path forward,” said Parker. “His commitment to the team effort is also critical to the success they have achieved.”
+Nobody sings Robin Robinson’s praises more loudly than his current supervisor, [[:William Vanderwagen]], who is the **Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response** at HHS. “Robin Robinson sacrificed personal gain in the [[:pharmaceutical industry]] to pursue public service. His dedication to the public health medical emergency preparedness mission has inspired both older and younger colleagues from industry, academia and government to join him at BARDA.”
+With Robin Robinson on the job and others following his lead, the American public can feel better knowing that our government is more prepared than ever to deal with public health emergencies.((https://web.archive.org/web/20200815110327/https://servicetoamericamedals.org/honorees/robin-robinson/))
+==== Congressional Witness Bio Pandemic Influenza Expert ====
+Biosketch - **ROBIN ROBINSON, Ph.D.**
+Dr. Robin Robinson currently serves as Vice President of Scientific Affairs for RenovaCare, Inc. directing development of cellular therapies for wound healing.
+Concurrently he is a Fellow for Regenerative Medicine and [[:Biomedical Research]] at the
+**Thought Leadership and Innovation (TLI) Foundation** on regenerative medicines and
+independent consultant on vaccines and biodefense matters.
+He reentered the biopharmaceutical business sector after retiring in 2016 from federal
+public service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he served
+from 2008 - 2016 as the first director of the [[:Biomedical Advanced Research and
+Development Authority]] (BARDA) and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and
+Response and as BARDA’s [[:Influenza and Emerging Disease]] program director (2004-
+).
+**Dr. Robinson brought BARDA into prominence as one of the top 10 fully integrated R&D organizations worldwide supporting advanced development and acquisition** of drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and medical devices to address the deleterious outcomes of man-made [[:biodefense threats]], [[:pandemic influenza]], and emerging infectious diseases including [[:Ebola]] and [[:Zika virus]]es. **32 of its 250+ medical countermeasure products that BARDA supported since 2008 were fully approved and licensed by the FDA during his tenure; today that total is 52.**
+Dr. **Robinson established a pandemic influenza program** with scientific and technical experts to implement the national and global strategic plans and policies for the development of new influenza antiviral drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics outlined in the [[:National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza]].
+For his leadership in this role, Dr. Robinson was the recipient of the [[:Department of Defense]]’s **Clay Dalrymple Award in 2008**, the **HHS Distinguished Service Award** three times, and a **finalist for the Service to America Medal** in 2009.
+In 2013-2015 Dr. Robinson was recognized as one of the top 50 most influential persons worldwide in vaccines by Vaccine Nation. In 2018 Dr. Robinson was recognized by Medicine Maker as one of the top 100 innovators in medicine.
+Dr. Robinson received a **Bachelor of Sciences degree in Biology** from Millsaps College
+in 1976, a **Doctoral degree in 1981** from the [[:University of Mississippi]] Medical School in medical microbiology under Dr. [[:Dennis O’Callaghan]] on [[:herpes virus]] oncogenesis, and completed in 1983 a **NIH postdoctoral fellowship** at the State University of New York at [[:Stony Brook]] under Dr. [[:Arnold Levine]] on molecular mechanisms in oncology.
+Dr. Robinson pursued his own research as a faculty member in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the [[:University of Texas]] [[:Southwestern Medical School]] from 1983-1992 on the molecular pathogenesis of herpesviruses and [[:HIV]].
+Prior to federal public service, Dr. Robinson served as the Director of Vaccines at [[:Novavax, Inc]]. (Rockville, MD) from 1995-2004, **where he led the development of 20+ vaccines to hepatitis B and E, influenza, HIV, noroviruses, and human papilloma viruses from early development, clinical trials, manufacturing scale-up, and commercialization through FDA licensure**.
+While at Novavax, he developed **patented platform vaccine technologies including virus-like particles and subunit protein vaccines for human pathogens** including [[:malaria]], [[:human papilloma]], [[:hepatitis]], and [[:influenza]] and for prostate, melanoma, and [[:cervical cancers]].
+Dr. Robinson also served on the Senior Advisory Group for the [[:World Health Organization]] (WHO) on emerging infectious diseases and [[:pandemic influenza]].
+Additionally, he continues to serve as an editorial board member and reviewer for several
+professional scientific and technical journals on virology, vaccines, public health, and
+biotechnology. ((https://web.archive.org/web/20201205161537/https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/110242/witnesses/HHRG-116-SY00-Bio-RobinsonR-20191120.pdf))
+==== C-SPAN Appearances ====
 {{::robin_robinson_cspan_4_videos_2017_capture_wayback.png?400|}}
@@ Line 157: / Line 234: @@
 **Dr. Robin Robinson is a consummate dealmaker, having successfully established over 60 partnerships** with federal agencies, including the United States [[:Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA), [[:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]], [[:National Institutes of Health]], The [[:Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]] ([[:DARPA]]), The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense, and the [[:Defense Threat Reduction Agency]].
-His non-governmental and **more than 80 commercial partnerships included** the [[:Gates Foundation]], [[:Wellcome Trust]], [[:Sanofi]], [[:GlaxoSmithKline]] plc, [[:Novartis]], [[:Merck]], [[:Roche/Genentech]], [[:Amgen]], [[:Johnson & Johnson]] (Crucell), [[:SIGA]], [[:Regeneron]] and [[:Emergent BioSolutions]].
+His non-governmental and **more than 80 commercial partnerships included** the [[:Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]], [[:Wellcome Trust]], [[:Sanofi]], [[:GlaxoSmithKline]] plc, [[:Novartis]], [[:Merck]], [[:Roche/Genentech]], [[:Amgen]], [[:Johnson & Johnson]] (Crucell), [[:SIGA]], [[:Regeneron]] and [[:Emergent BioSolutions]].
 Dr. Robinson developed collaborations with universities and foreign governments, including the [[:Johns Hopkins]] University, [[:North Carolina State University]], and the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, and others.
@@ Line 211: / Line 288: @@
 Esperovax is a **cutting-edge vaccine company** dedicated to developing innovative oral mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics. The company is committed to advancing the science of medicine to **help people live healthier, happier lives**. For more information, please visit Esperovax.com. SOURCE Esperovax ((https://web.archive.org/web/20231009024154/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/esperovax-appoints-dr-robin-robinson-as-president-and-ceo-301811159.html))
+==== Pandemic Related H1N1 - H5N1 Response Teams ====
+{{ ::global_virome_project_dennis_carroll_usatd_h5n1_pandemic_.png?600|}}
+See Global Virome Project - Ecohealth Alliance and Dr. [[:Dennis Carroll]] Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID's) Pandemic Influenza and other Emerging Threats Unit. In this position, he led [[:USAID]]'s Emerging Pandemic Threats program, a global effort to combat new disease threats before they can become significant threats to human health. Dennis was responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership for the agency's programs addressing new and emerging disease threats, which has included leading the agency's response to the [[:H5N1]] **avian influenza and H1N1 pandemic** viral threats.  ((https://www.campfire.wiki/doku.php?id=global_virome_project&s[]=h5n1))
+==== COVID mRNA Contract Awards ====
+{{ ::esperovax_robin_robinson_2023_contract_mrna_covid.png?400|}}
+PLYMOUTH, Mich., Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- [[:Esperovax]], a U.S.-based preclinical biopharmaceutical company and a [[:BLUE KNIGHT]]™ resident company, is receiving an award for $ 1 M to further develop a **yeast-based oral COVID-19 RNA vaccine** candidate as part of the BLUE KNIGHT™ QuickFire Challenge: Accelerating [[:Project NextGen]].
+This award will support critical studies aimed at demonstrating vaccine safety and immunoprotection in **orally vaccinated animals** challenged with different [[:COVID-19]] virus variants. Esperovax is collaborating with Dr. [[:Slobodan Paessler]] at the [[:University of Texas]] Medical Branch – Galveston to conduct these studies.
+Blue Knight, a joint initiative between [[:Johnson & Johnson]] Innovation – JLABS (JLABS) and the [[:Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority]] (BARDA), collaborates with companies to accelerate innovation against emerging health security threats.
+"This award enables animal challenge studies that may determine whether our unique oral COVID-19 [[:RNA vaccine]] elicits protective immunity that prevents disease and reduces virus dissemination and affords completion of other requisite studies supportive of an Investigational New Drug application for future clinical evaluation," stated Dr. Robin Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Positive results from these studies have the potential to bring inexpensive, safe and long-lasting effective oral vaccines a step closer to address public health threats like COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases."
+About Esperovax: Esperovax was founded in 2019 to advance development of its Egress RD™ oral [[:mRNA]] platform, a transformative technology for delivering [[:mRNA vaccines]] to the abundant populations of immune cells in the gastrointestinal tract via a small oral capsule.
+For more information, please visit our web site at www.esperovax.com((https://web.archive.org/web/20231009024444/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/esperovax-awarded-1m-for-development-of-an-oral-covid-19-rna-vaccine-under-the-hhs-project-nextgen-initiative-301945741.html))