Manus, a bioalternatives scale-up platform, has expanded its partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Center for Industrial Base Management and Supply Chain (IBMSC), which is part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Building on a previous $32.4 million award, this expansion adds another $15 million to enable domestic production of shikimic acid, a key starting material for oseltamivir, the active ingredient in Tamiflu.

This initiative directly confronts a significant national security vulnerability: over 80% of the key ingredients for America’s essential medicines are manufactured or sourced from overseas, primarily in China and India. By enabling domestic production capabilities for a vital material, this partnership reduces U.S. dependence on volatile foreign supply chains.

“We’re honored to receive this funding through HHS’ DPA Title III program, which will help expand domestic production of critical medicines,” says Ajikumar Parayil, Founder and CEO of Manus. “Manus’ proven scale-up platform has the potential to secure domestic production of more than 50 essential medicines, supporting a broader bioalternative approach to strengthen the nation’s pharmaceutical supply chain. This award enables another tangible step forward.”

The funding is provided through the HHS Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Program, which makes targeted investments to restore domestic industrial base capabilities essential for responding to public health emergencies. It will support installation of an additional large-scale fermentation line at Manus’ BioFacility in Augusta, Georgia, expanding critical manufacturing capabilities on U.S. soil.

“Rather than replicating outdated foreign manufacturing practices, we’re deploying next-generation American technology,” says Christine Santos, Manus’ Chief Technology Officer. “Using advanced biology and precision fermentation, we engineer microorganisms into highly efficient ‘cell factories’ that can produce critical bioalternative ingredients and inputs domestically.”