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news.The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has granted funds for the development of five new drugs to treat injuries associated with acute radiation syndrome (ARS).
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The contracts for drug development, valued at $56.3m were awarded to Neumedicines, RxBio, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences of Little Rock, Araim Pharmaceuticals of Ossining and Cellerant Therapeutics of San Carlos.
They comprise development of products that help in treatment of bone marrow and gastrointestinal injuries from high levels of radiation, which could possibly occur due to nuclear detonation.
BARDA director Robin Robinson said these contracts support development of products that address urgent public health requirements for radiation medical countermeasures besides meeting other medical needs.
"These advanced development contracts demonstrate what can be achieved by repurposing drugs with commercial potential to meet public health emergency requirements, and we would like to encourage other pharmaceutical companies and their collaborators to follow this approach," Robinson added.
BARDA is looking forward for more proposals for products that can help treat injury from acute radiation syndrome and also improved diagnostic tools to measure the radiation dose.