BARDA issues radiation drug awards

A U.S. government agency has issued contracts worth nearly $5 million to two companies that are developing drugs to treat radiation injury.

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, issued the contracts as part of its ongoing effort to develop diagnostic tools and drugs to protect health and save lives in emergencies such as nuclear bombs or improvised nuclear devices. The grants focus on protection of the gastrointestinal tract, which can become inflamed when exposed to high levels of radiation.

BARDA issued a two-year contract worth $2 million to Apogee Biotechnology to conduct preliminary studies of a drug known as ABC294640 to evaluate its efficacy in reducing gastrointestinal injury from radiation exposure. ABC294640 works by inhibiting an enzyme called sphingosine kinase; the drug has anti-inflammatory properties and can be taken orally.

The second grant was also for two years and is worth $2.9 million, given to Avaxia Biologics to fund preliminary efficacy studies for its AVX-470 agent. AVX-470 inhibits the effectiveness of a protein called tumor necrosis factor, which increases inflammation. AVX-470 was initially developed to treat inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Both contracts will fund studies that are designed to show the effectiveness of the drugs when administered 24 hours or more after radiation exposure. The studies are needed before proceeding to clinical trials and efficacy studies, BARDA said.