Source: Health & Human Services
Monday, August 30, 2010
$27-$64 million contract supports development of novel antibiotic with
multiple uses
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced
Research and Development Authority (BARDA) today awarded a contract to
develop an antibiotic that could be used against possibly two types of
bioterrorism as well as common infections that are becoming resistant to
antibiotics.
The contract to Achaogen Inc. of San Francisco is for $27 million in the
first two years. The contract can be extended annually for up to three
years for a total of $64 million.
The planned antibiotic, ACHN-490, would be a broad-spectrum antibiotic
to treat plague and tularemia infections, both of which are possible
bioterrorism agents. The antibiotic also could treat many infections
that are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic-resistant
infections include some of the infections people get when they are
hospitalized, including pneumonia from prolonged use of a ventilator and
urinary tract infections from using a catheter for an extended period of
time. Also under the contract, the company will conduct studies to show
that the new antibiotic is safe for children, the elderly, and other
special populations.
The contract uses the federal government's new approach to producing
medical countermeasures - the medications, vaccines, medical equipment
and supplies needed for a health emergency. On Aug. 19, HHS Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius released an examination of the federal government's
system to produce medical countermeasures, along with recommendations
for a better approach. The recommendations included developing drugs
that can be used for bioterrorism as well as common illnesses, and to
develop more countermeasures that are safe for children, the elderly,
and other vulnerable populations.
"This new antibiotic is part of our push against antibiotic resistance
for certain bacterial infections, and at the same time could provide a
new treatment for plague and tularemia biothreats," said BARDA Director
Dr. Robin Robinson. "It's the first time BARDA research and development
funds have been used in a multi-use approach like this."
The contract is the first under BARDA's Broad Spectrum Antimicrobial
Program, one of six areas of advanced research and development that use
a contracting tool called a broad agency announcement. The broad agency
announcement provides a way to identify innovative and promising
technologies that can be developed to protect Americans from chemical,
biological, radiological and nuclear threats.
Prospective offerors are encouraged to review the current broad agency
announcement available at
https://www.fbo.gov/download/c73/c738d09c5bba7d9fccba4d0cdbbe52db/BAA_Sp
ecialInstructions_20100628_BSA_Amendment_3.pdf. The current BAA research
areas of interest include vaccines, antitoxins and therapeutics,
antimicrobial drugs, radiological/nuclear threat countermeasures,
chemical threat countermeasures, and clinical diagnostic tools.
To learn more about BARDA and medical countermeasures, including The
Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasure Enterprise Review:
Transforming the Enterprise to Meet Long Range National Needs, visit
www.phe.gov.
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