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BARDA
BARDA is a Washington, DC-based organization founded in 2006. It manages procurement and development of medical countermeasures for biological, chemical, and...
BARDA
BARDA is a Washington, DC-based organization founded in 2006. It manages procurement and development of medical countermeasures for biological, chemical, and other deadly agents. BARDA has made 33 investments, including a September 29, 2025, grant to Orexo US.
General information
Firm type
Biomedical Research and Development
Year founded
2006
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Menlo Park
Corporate office
Menlo Park, CA, United States
Additional offices
Chicago, IL, United States · Durham, NC, United States · Stanford, CA, United States
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Does BARDA invest in for-profit companies?
Yes, but not as an equity investor. BARDA enters into contracts and cooperative agreements with private companies to fund advanced development and manufacturing of medical products. It does not take ownership stakes or seek financial returns (per the BARDA website, public record).
How is BARDA different from the NIH?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds basic and early-stage biomedical research, often through grants. BARDA focuses on later-stage development—taking promising candidates from proof of concept through FDA licensure and manufacturing. BARDA does not conduct its own research; it manages contracts (per the Government Accountability Office, 2021).
What is BARDA's largest program?
The largest program by funding is the pandemic influenza preparedness program, but the COVID-19 response under Operation Warp Speed dwarfed all prior efforts, with over $12 billion allocated (per the New York Times, 2020).
Does BARDA only work on pandemic threats?
No. BARDA's statutory mission covers chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, as well as pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases. It has funded projects for anthrax, smallpox, Ebola, Zika, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (per HHS, public record).
Is BARDA a family office or asset manager?
No. BARDA is a government agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services. It is not a family office, asset manager, or investment vehicle. This profile uses the term 'firm' loosely for organizational identification (public record).
What is BARDA's budget?
BARDA's annual budget varies by appropriation. For fiscal year 2024, the agency received approximately $1.4 billion in base funding, with additional emergency supplemental funding for special projects like pandemic preparedness (per Congressional Research Service, March 2024).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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