BioFactura, Inc. today announced it will serve as a collaborator on a grant awarded to the Geneva Foundation for Ebola drug development.
The funding will be provided under a Partnerships for Biodefense grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The project team is led by the Geneva Foundation of Seattle, Wa., and includes partners at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and the Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology.
During the 5-year grant, the team aims to develop an effective monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based drug against Sudan ebolavirus.
Currently, there are no established treatments for Ebola infection. Over the past five years, three Ebola outbreaks involving a Sudan strain of the virus have occurred. The need for strain-specific Ebola countermeasures is imperative for treating infected patients and effectively containing outbreaks. The research team looks forward to developing a promising and urgently needed Ebola treatment that targets the Sudan strain of the virus.
BioFactura develops and commercializes high-value novel and generic biopharmaceuticals (biosimilars) using its patented StableFast Biomanufacturing Platform. The company accomplishes this mission through partnering and licensing agreements with academic institutions, federal laboratories, and mid- to large-pharma companies.
The Geneva Foundation, is a non-profit organization headquartered in Tacoma, WA. Established in April 1993, Geneva’s mission is to support and advance innovative medical research and excellence in education within the U.S. military. The Geneva Foundation connects military researchers to educational and research opportunities in a variety of therapeutic areas to help shape the future of military medicine.
Source: BioFactura press release, adapted.