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DTRA Researching Hemorrhagic Fever Anti-Viral Compounds
DTRA Researching Hemorrhagic Fever Anti-Viral Compounds
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com
Posted 22-Sep-2006 06:21
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA has awarded a pair of contracts for generation of novel broad spectrum anti-viral compounds against hemorrhagic fever viruses, a class that includes Ebola among others. Bids were solicited via the World Wide Web on Oct. 31, 2005, and 130 bids were received.
Now Functional Genetics Inc. in Rockville, MD has won a pair of those contracts. Their research is based on a new discovery and some promising lab tests, whose broad particulars are as follows:
The key to Functional Genetics' proposed therapies is a compound called TSG101. Among other things, it's involved in the routine recycling/ degradation of cellular proteins. When a cell is infected with a virus, the normally intercellular TSG101 is hijacked to orchestrate the release of viral particles from the infected cell. Since that's a really key stage of successful viral infection spread, TSG101 becomes an obvious target for antibody therapeutics. The TSG101 is also outside of both the virus and the host cell. If you can successfully target it, therefore, the approach also overcomes any drug resistance the virus might have.
The Company expects to file an anti-viral IND in 2007. Their lead candidates reduce the release and infectivity of Ebola and HIV (including drug resistant HIV), and the lead antibodies have demonstrated the ability to rescue animals from an otherwise lethal dose of acute Ebola infection.
These candidates have also demonstrated efficacy against Influenza A & B (the flu), and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). Company strategies for targeting TSG101 also include peptides, vaccines and small molecules.
In addition to the TSG101 target, the Company has an ongoing program devoted to the identification of additional host targets suitable for influenza therapeutic development and has to date identified 10 novel host genes. Functional Genetics has been issued 6 patents and has another 8 in various stages of prosecution protecting its Random Homozygous Knockout platform and target discoveries, including TSG101.
DID would caution readers that drug development is a long and expensive process ($100 million is often mentioned as the table stakes to get a drug through approvals), and that promising therapies don't all make it through the research and testing stages. Even so, we thought this research contract was interesting and worth our time to share and explain.
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA has awarded a pair of contracts for generation of novel broad spectrum anti-viral compounds against hemorrhagic fever viruses, a class that includes Ebola among others. Bids were solicited via the World Wide Web on Oct. 31, 2005, and 130 bids were received.
Now Functional Genetics Inc. in Rockville, MD has won a pair of those contracts. Their research is based on a new discovery and some promising lab tests, whose broad particulars are as follows:
The key to Functional Genetics' proposed therapies is a compound called TSG101. Among other things, it's involved in the routine recycling/ degradation of cellular proteins. When a cell is infected with a virus, the normally intercellular TSG101 is hijacked to orchestrate the release of viral particles from the infected cell. Since that's a really key stage of successful viral infection spread, TSG101 becomes an obvious target for antibody therapeutics. The TSG101 is also outside of both the virus and the host cell. If you can successfully target it, therefore, the approach also overcomes any drug resistance the virus might have.
The Company expects to file an anti-viral IND in 2007. Their lead candidates reduce the release and infectivity of Ebola and HIV (including drug resistant HIV), and the lead antibodies have demonstrated the ability to rescue animals from an otherwise lethal dose of acute Ebola infection.
These candidates have also demonstrated efficacy against Influenza A & B (the flu), and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). Company strategies for targeting TSG101 also include peptides, vaccines and small molecules.
In addition to the TSG101 target, the Company has an ongoing program devoted to the identification of additional host targets suitable for influenza therapeutic development and has to date identified 10 novel host genes. Functional Genetics has been issued 6 patents and has another 8 in various stages of prosecution protecting its Random Homozygous Knockout platform and target discoveries, including TSG101.
DID would caution readers that drug development is a long and expensive process ($100 million is often mentioned as the table stakes to get a drug through approvals), and that promising therapies don't all make it through the research and testing stages. Even so, we thought this research contract was interesting and worth our time to share and explain.