Alpha Red was a top-secret experimental research group operating primarily within the New Republic Intelligence Service, and subsequently within its successor organization, the Galactic Alliance Intelligence Service. This unit, comprised of individuals from the Intelligence Service's other covert team, Alpha Blue, in conjunction with several Chiss scientists, was assigned the task of investigating the extra-galactic biology of the Yuuzhan Vong. Their objective was to identify vulnerabilities within the Vong's biological systems and develop methods to exploit them. Joi Eicroth, a former scientist from Alpha Blue, led the team, which included a contingent of Chiss biotechnicians collaborating with Intelligence scientists. Their efforts culminated in the creation of a potent toxin, also designated Alpha Red.
Dif Scaur, the Director of New Republic Intelligence, established Alpha Red following the capture of Coruscant from the New Republic by the Yuuzhan Vong. Scaur merged scientists from Alpha Blue, a clandestine unit of the New Republic Intelligence Service, with Chiss scientists to form this new secret organization. Their mandate was to analyze the Yuuzhan Vong and discover a biological weakness that could be exploited.
Alpha Red's most significant achievement was the creation of a biological weapon known as "Alpha Red." Laboratory tests demonstrated that this airborne pathogen specifically targeted a unique genetic marker present in all Vong-related organisms, leading to their destruction. Alpha Red was also tested on sedated Yuuzhan Vong warriors, with successful killings observed. Subsequently, the research operations were relocated from the Chiss research facility to a repurposed hospital ship, an EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, orbiting Mon Calamari. The goal was to produce vast quantities of Alpha Red for deployment against Yuuzhan Vong-controlled planets. However, after overhearing a conversation between Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker regarding the deadly Alpha Red pathogen, Vergere infiltrated the facility and sabotaged the project.
Following the restriction of the pathogen's use to a last-resort scenario and Vergere's act of sabotage, Alpha Red was likely disbanded. However, it was inadvertently rediscovered by a Jedi strike team dispatched to eliminate a yammosk on Caluula. All the Yuuzhan Vong and their bio-technology were discovered to be on the brink of death, in an extremely weakened state. A member of the strike team revealed that Alpha Red had been deployed on the planet. Upon learning about the reemergence of Alpha Red, Luke ordered the destruction of all Yuuzhan Vong vessels in the system to contain the bio-weapon. Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaane dispatched an infected vessel to crash-land on Zonama Sekot with the intention of destroying the planet, but his attempt failed.
In the year 138 ABY, the Sith Lady Darth Maladi, a member of the One Sith, located notes pertaining to Alpha Red and enhanced the weapon into a significantly more lethal variant: Omega Red.