PolyMedix and the University of Massachusetts have received a $100,000 phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract. The contract will support research to identify lead antimicrobial compounds to effectively treat multi-drug resistant and biofilm-embedded bacteria.
Reportedly, the US Army Research Office is sponsoring the contract. The primary goal of the work will be to develop select, targeted new derivatives of PolyMedix’s small molecule defensin mimetic antimicrobial compounds, and to identify lead molecules active against bacterial pathogens and their drug/multi-drug resistant strains, often associated with biofilm infections.
PolyMedix will receive $100,000 during the phase 1 contract, to be disbursed over six months, with $35,600 of this total amount to be provided by PolyMedix to the University of Massachusetts Amherst.