HHS www.hhs.gov is sponsoring the first point-of-care anthrax diagnostic test a simple, fast finger-prick blood test that could help during a bioterrorism attack.
The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within their Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority www.phe.gov/about/BARDA/Pages/default.aspx is funding a study to find methods to readily detect anthrax.
BARDA awarded SRI International www.sri.com of Menlo Park $2.5 million to study ways to ensure that anthrax infections are detected accurately in blood samples. This contract for $7.8 million can be extended for up to a total of three years. These studies are needed to apply for clearance to eventually market the device from FDA www.fda.gov.
The test SRI is developing uses blood samples on small cartridges. After 15 minutes, the cartridge is placed in a reader, and the results are displayed. This compact system fits into the palm of a hand and can be used in hospital emergency rooms, local health clinics, potentially at the patient’s bedside, and by first responders.
SRI will work with DCN Diagnostics www.dcndx.com of Carlsbad, California, and Web Industries www.webindustries.com of Holliston Massachusetts on regulatory design, and will do manufacturing studies on the anthrax diagnostic test.
In another move, BARDA has issued a task order to the Texas A&M Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing (CIADM) http://ciadm.tamhsc.edu to produce an intranasal anthrax vaccine candidate.
Under the 18 month $10.49 million task order from BARDA, the Texas A&M CIADM, will do advanced development and manufacturing for NasoShield a third generation anthrax vaccine candidate developed at Altimmune www.altimmune.com/NasoShield.html.