Emergent BioSolutions is a publicly traded American specialty biopharmaceutical company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker EBS, with no single controlling owner, primarily focused on public health threats, biodefense, and opioid overdose reversal.
Emergent BioSolutions is best known in consumer markets as the owner of NARCAN Nasal Spray (naloxone), the leading emergency treatment for opioid overdose, which Emergent acquired from Adapt Pharma in October 2018 for 735 million dollars.
Emergent BioSolutions is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and has been a key supplier of medical countermeasures to the United States government for biodefense preparedness for over two decades.
Knowing who owns Emergent BioSolutions explains how a relatively small specialty biopharmaceutical company became the distributor of the most widely recognized opioid overdose reversal product in the United States.
This article covers who owns Emergent BioSolutions, what the company does, its history, how it compares to a rival, and key facts about the business.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Owns Emergent BioSolutions?
Emergent BioSolutions is a publicly traded company on the NYSE under the ticker EBS with no single majority shareholder, with institutional investors holding the largest share positions.
The company has no parent corporation or controlling family, operating with an independent board of directors and a publicly accountable management structure.
NARCAN Nasal Spray is wholly owned by Emergent BioSolutions following its 2018 acquisition of Adapt Pharma, the Irish company that originally developed and brought NARCAN to market as the first FDA-approved nasal formulation of naloxone.
In January 2025, Emergent expanded its naloxone portfolio by acquiring exclusive commercial rights to KLOXXADO (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray 8mg from Hikma Pharmaceuticals, as confirmed in Emergent’s company profile.
What Does Emergent BioSolutions Do?
Emergent BioSolutions develops and markets specialty products addressing public health threats and medical emergencies across two core areas: biodefense government contracts and commercial pharmaceutical products.
Its biodefense business supplies medical countermeasures to the United States government and international partners, covering anthrax vaccines, smallpox vaccines, botulism antitoxins, and chemical threat countermeasures.
Its commercial business is anchored by NARCAN Nasal Spray 4mg, the market-leading naloxone product, which received FDA over-the-counter approval in March 2023, making it the first naloxone product available without a prescription in the United States.
Since acquiring NARCAN in 2018, Emergent has distributed over 100 million doses across the United States and Canada, making a meaningful contribution to addressing the opioid overdose crisis, as documented in Emergent’s NARCAN product page.
What Is the History of Emergent BioSolutions?
Emergent BioSolutions was founded in 1998 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, building on the assets of BioPort Corporation, which held the US government contract for producing anthrax vaccine and supplied the US military with anthrax prophylaxis.
Through the 2000s and 2010s, Emergent grew its government biodefense portfolio through a series of acquisitions and contract awards, establishing itself as the premier US supplier of biodefense medical countermeasures.
The 2018 acquisition of Adapt Pharma and NARCAN for 735 million dollars marked Emergent’s pivot into commercial pharmaceutical products, diversifying revenue away from its government contract dependency.
In 2023, NARCAN’s OTC approval dramatically expanded its commercial potential, allowing distribution through pharmacies, retailers, and online without a prescription, and the CDC confirmed that opioid overdose deaths declined meaningfully in the following year.
How Big Is Emergent BioSolutions?
Emergent BioSolutions generated total revenues of 742.9 million dollars in FY2025, reflecting a business that is significantly smaller than major pharmaceutical companies but highly strategic in the public health preparedness and opioid crisis response space.
The company secured multiple US government contract awards for biodefense preparedness in 2025 and delivered medical countermeasures to over 20 countries, maintaining its position as the primary US government biodefense supplier.
In February 2026, Emergent’s board authorized a new 50 million dollar stock repurchase program, reflecting management’s confidence in the company’s financial stability despite its relatively modest size.
The company employs several thousand people across its Gaithersburg headquarters and manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada, with distribution operations extending across North America.
Emergent BioSolutions vs Pfizer: How Do They Compare?
Comparing Emergent BioSolutions to Pfizer illustrates the dramatic scale differences that exist within the pharmaceutical industry between specialty niche players and global diversified giants.
Pfizer generates revenues exceeding 60 billion dollars annually across a full spectrum of therapeutics, vaccines, and consumer health products, making it roughly 80 times larger than Emergent by revenue.
Emergent occupies a distinct niche in biodefense and opioid crisis response where government relationships, specialized manufacturing capability, and public health mission alignment are more important than commercial scale.
Both companies play critical roles in national health security, with Pfizer’s vaccine manufacturing capacity and Emergent’s biodefense countermeasure supply both essential components of US public health preparedness strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Emergent BioSolutions
Who owns Emergent BioSolutions?
Emergent BioSolutions is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker EBS with no single controlling owner. It is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and is the owner of NARCAN Nasal Spray.
Who owns NARCAN?
NARCAN Nasal Spray is owned by Emergent BioSolutions, which acquired it from Adapt Pharma in October 2018 for 735 million dollars. NARCAN became available over the counter without a prescription following FDA approval in March 2023.
What does Emergent BioSolutions make?
Emergent BioSolutions makes NARCAN Nasal Spray and KLOXXADO for opioid overdose reversal, anthrax vaccines and antitoxins for biodefense, smallpox vaccines, and various other medical countermeasures supplied primarily to the US government.
How many NARCAN doses has Emergent distributed?
Emergent BioSolutions has distributed over 100 million doses of NARCAN Nasal Spray across the United States and Canada since acquiring the product in 2018.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.