Personalized Protective Biosystem (PPB) program aims to develop technology that reduces the need for burdensome protective equipment while increasing individual protection against CB threats.
Leidos will develop technology that reduces the need for burdensome protective equipment while increasing defense against both existing and future chemical and biological threats under a new prime contract awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
This three-phase, five-year cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has a total ceiling value of $19.3 million. DARPA announced Leidos’ selection for the PPB effort on April 19. Leidos further elaborated on the award in a Sep 29 company release.
DARPA’s Personalized Protective Biosystem (PPB) program addresses the need for lightweight and adaptive personal protection equipment for military and healthcare personnel. The recent pandemic highlighted this challenge on a global scale.
Through this award, Leidos is launching a combination of innovative, robust and flexible platforms known as Smart Protective Integrated Dynamic Ensemble for Reactive, Multifaceted Agent Neutralization (SPIDERMAN). The technology comes in the form of both lightweight protective materials and tissue-protective countermeasures. It enables Chemical-Biological threat protection without prior knowledge of the agent’s nature.
The goal is to create new and improved ways to address different, emerging and uncharacterized threats through advanced technology.
[ Read more: Personalized Protective Biosystems: DARPA Program Developing Innovative Threat Barriers ]
“Leidos has assembled a world-class team and is proud to lead the execution of this revolutionary program,” said Dr. John Dresios, Executive Biology Director and Principal Investigator for the Leidos PPB team. “SPIDERMAN has the potential to deliver transformative advancements that will provide broad and specific, as well as rapid and sustainable protection against chemical and biological threats. We’re excited to help engineer new ways to protect the military and our nation.”
The PPB program team is collaborating with government and industry stakeholders – including the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND), Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), U.S. Center for Disease Control /National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), and World Health Organization International (WHO) – to serve as potential transition partners.
DARPA’s PPB team and performers will be working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure all relevant guidelines are adhered to and regulatory standards are met, with the expectation of Investigational New Drug (IND) approval by the conclusion of the program, for relevant components.
