Uncle Sam has ponied up another $14.5 million in funding to advance Elusys Therapeutics' experimental drug for treating patients after anthrax attacks, according to the company. And the Pine Brook, NJ-based biopharma group is working on a plan for late-stage development of the antibody drug, ETI-204 or Anthim.
The company plans to use the influx of federal dollars toward expanded and final safety studies of an intravenous form of ETI-204 as well as a study of intramuscular injections of the drug that would be used to quickly treat large numbers of victims of an anthrax attack. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has been Elusys' main sugar daddy on the program as governments continue to step up in place of the private industry to fuel development of treatments against anthrax and other potential bioterror threats.
"As we continue to reach milestones in the late stages of our development program, we are pleased to have the ongoing support of the U.S. Government to evaluate not only IV administration but also the more rapid, cost-effective IM administration of ETI-204," Elizabeth Posillico, Elusys' president and CEO, said in a statement. "Advancing the development of both IV and IM administration of our anti-toxin could provide two important options in the prevention and treatment of inhalational anthrax following a biowarfare attack."
Elusys has announced the award close to the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which involved the shipment of letters carrying anthrax spores to media and government offices that led to the deaths of 5 people, according to numbers from the FBI. The attacks kicked off major government investments in biotech companies that have worked on treatments or vaccines against such threats. Elusys alone has collected $149 million from two goverment contracts that are worth $211 million.
- here's the release