Contract Awarded for Radiation Countermeasure Drug

(EPA)

Cleveland BioLabs Inc., a drug development company in Buffalo, New York, received a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and stockpile its drug CBLB502 as a medical radiation countermeasure. The initial contract provides $14.8 million for advanced development of the drug, with later options worth $30 million for purchase of doses.

CBLB502 is a treatment for acute radiation syndrome caused by exposure to extreme doses of radiation, such as from radiation therapy or a “dirty bomb” — a conventional explosive that disperses radioactive material. The company says the drug is derived from a microbial protein that generates cell protective mechanisms.

In July, Cleveland BioLabs received fast-track approval for the drug from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The fast track program expedites the review of investigational drugs for the treatment of patients with serious or life-threatening diseases where there is an unmet medical need. The company says it has completed studies of the drug’s efficacy on animals and clinical trials of safety, tolerability, and dosing on humans.

Related: Acute Radiation Syndrome Drug Granted FDA Fast Track Status