Merganser Biotech, Terapio, National Institutes of Health, University of North Carolina hematology, neurology, other news
NIH selected three preclinical projects to receive no-cost access to NIH development contractor resources under its Bridging Interventional Development Gaps (BrIDGs) program. The program aims to help projects from academic institutions, not-for-profits and Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer-eligible businesses that have a "demonstrated efficacy in a disease model" but lack private resources or have "hit a roadblock and need additional expertise" to reach the clinic.
The projects include developing RLIP76-LyoPL from Terapio as a treatment for acute radiation syndrome (ARS) that can be administered 24 hours or longer after radiation exposure. RLIP76-LyoPL consists of the membrane-associated transport protein ralA binding protein 1 ( RALBP1; RLIP76), which is encapsulated in a lyophilized liposome. Merganser's project is to develop minihepcidins, peptides used to increase hepcidin activity, for the treatment of beta-thalassemia. The university's project is to develop HBN-1, an IV formulation of several undisclosed FDA-approved drugs, to prevent cardiac arrest-induced acute brain injury. ...