This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE: EBS) -- my top 2009 pick -- makes the only FDA-licensed vaccine for the prevention of anthrax," says Timothy Lutts in his The Cabot Stock of the Month.

"Located in Rockville, Maryland, the company is currently filling a $448 million government order for 18.75 million doses, and in October, the U.S. government contracted to purchase 14.5 million additional doses valued at up to $404 million, to add to the Strategic National Stockpile.

"The vaccine is named BioThrax, and it accounts for 97% of the revenues of Emergent BioSolutions. However, the company has a full pipeline including two 'next generation' anthrax vaccines.

"Also in development are two anthrax therapeutics (immunoglobulin and monoclonal), two botulinum vaccines and a botulinum therapeutic (botulinum is the nasty form of Botox), an oral typhoid vaccine, a next generation tuberculosis vaccine, a hepatitis B immunotherapy and a chlamydia vaccine.

Health care has long been considered a recession-resistant business. Given the current economic challenges, it's little surprise that in our survey of favorite stocks for the coming year, a number of leading advisors turned to this classic defensive sector.

In this year's Top Stock Picks from 75 advisors report, we found an intriguing group of medical-related stocks, from speculation in emerging biotech to well-established pharmaceutical firms, and from medical products makers to medical services firms focused on increasing health care efficiency and early disease detection.

Mike Cintolo, editor of The Cabot Market Letter, thinks Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) could be a "big winner in 2009," The company is a lead in the new field of cancer predisposition testing. For Mike's full report, read Top Stock Picks '09: Myriad Genetics.

Chuck Carlson, editor of The DRIP Investor, sees both quality and potential in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY). For Chuck's full report, read Top Stock Picks '09: Bristol-Myers Squibb.

When your goal is to prevent disease, what better partner can you have than the body's own immune system. There is a company in Rockville, Maryland that develops drugs with that notion firmly in mind.

Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE: EBS) is a biopharmaceutical company, focusing on the development and commercialization of products that boost the immune system's ability to stave off diseases. The firm serves both government and commercial clients. For the government, it supplies the only FDA-approved anthrax vaccine. It is also working on a post-exposure treatment for anthrax and a vaccine for botulinum toxin. On the commercial side, the company is developing vaccines for typhoid, hepatitis B, group B streptococcus, meningitis and chlamydia. Emergent operates from offices in the US, the UK, Germany and Singapore.

The firm pleased investors earlier in the week, when it guided FY07 revenues to $183 million. Analysts had been expecting $180.82 million. Management also said it expected FY08 revenues of $180-195 million, versus consensus of $160.19 million. Further, the company announced positive results from its typhoid vaccine work and said it would be enrolling patients in its hepatitis B study.