NEWS & EVENTS
PRESS RELEASES 2005
ELUSYS AWARDED AN ADDITIONAL $5.4 MILLION FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF ANTHIM™
Funding Supports Clinical Advancement and Manufacturing of New Anthrax Drug
Pine Brook, NJ, August 3, 2005 – Elusys Therapeutics Inc., a developer of targeted anti-infective therapeutics, today announced that it has been awarded an additional $5.4 million from the U.S. Government for the continued development of Anthim™, the Company’s antibody therapeutic for the prevention and treatment of anthrax infection.
This round of the funding includes $4.4 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and $1 million from the Department of Defense (DoD). To date, Elusys has been awarded more than $20 million from the U.S. Government for the development of novel therapeutics to combat bioterror agents.
In preclinical studies, Anthim has demonstrated efficacy at lower doses than other drugs in development. A single dose of Anthim is 100 percent effective when administered as a prophylactic (prior to anthrax exposure) and dramatically increases survival rates when given up to 48 hours after exposure. Anthim’s low dose allows for intramuscular (IM) delivery, the most effective mode of delivery to both military and civilian personnel in emergency situations.
“The continued support and funding from the Federal Government sends a strong message about the therapeutic potential of Anthim,” said Dr. Elizabeth Posillico, President and CEO of Elusys. “This commitment further validates Elusys’ antibody-based science and Heteropolymer technology and reinforces our position as an innovative developer of targeted anti-infective therapies.”
Elusys as it is a candidate for procurement by the U.S. Government under Project BioShield and is supported by studies demonstrating complete protection against a lethal anthrax spore challenge. Commercial products include ETI-211, targeting antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus aureus. Additional pipeline products in development include treatments for Candida and HIV disease.