TORONTO — Cangene Corp.has signed a deal with the U.S. Department of Defense to supply Vaccinia Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human) in a four-year deal worth US$4.9 million. The hyperimmune product is used in treating and preventing certain types of severe complications that may be associated with smallpox vaccination. The U.S. Department of Defence also has two options to purchase additional product during the course of the contract, which if exercised, could add approximately US$7 million to the total value. The contract is independent of Cangene’s agreement with the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “Since this drug was approved, we have signed a number of agreements with government groups to supply product to their stockpiles-this illustrates the benefit of having an FDA licence and that there is an ongoing market for the product,” Cangene president and chief executive John Langstaff said in a statement.