From Variety:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118058274?refCatId=14

ABC has inked a deal with indie production company Georgeville TV and Overbrook Entertainment for a pandemic thriller project from "Babylon 5" creator J. Michael Straczynski.
Project is designed to secure a straight-to-series order, meaning that if ABC likes the script it will forgo a pilot in favor of a multiple episode order.

Details on the project are sketchy but it's described as a blend of procedural and serialized elements. James Lassiter and Jada Pinkett Smith are exec producing for Overbrook with Straczynski.