Lumen Bioscience said that it has received a contract worth $8.8 million from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the US Department of Defense for development of “a prototype broad-spectrum, fast-acting intranasal powder for treatment and prevention of known and emerging viral respiratory infections.” The funding is part of “Project Panacea,” run by DIU and the Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical (JPM CBRN Medical).
According to the announcement, the contract will fund pre-clinical development of “a human immune signaling protein known to be especially important in the body’s immune response to respiratory viral infections like influenza.” Lumen cited previous clinical trials of an injected formulation of the therapeutic and animal trials that have suggested the candidate could be effective for both prevention and treatment of influenza and COVID-19.
Lumen Executive VP, Production and Development, Craig Behnke commented, “This therapeutic has demonstrated efficacy in treating vaccinated COVID-19 subjects and shows promise in both treating and preventing other respiratory viral infections like influenza, but the current injection formulation limits stability, increases costs, and impedes distribution and administration. This product has the potential to be an important new option for influenza and COVID-19 patients—especially those with more limited access to healthcare services—and a valuable new tool in America’s pandemic preparedness toolkit.”
CBRN Medical Joint Project Manager Col. Matthew G. Clark said, “New treatment methods are needed to protect warfighters from current and emerging viral threats. This approach offers the opportunity to develop a fast-acting treatment that is highly scalable and easy to store and transport.”
In January 2022, Aridis Pharmaceuticals announced that it had partnered with Lumen on development of inhaled monoclonal antibodies against influenza and SARS-CoV-2.
Read the Lumen Bioscience press release.
