Feds give Cellerant $47.5M for stem cell treatment that preps for nuclear disaster

Stem cell therapy is one way thegovernments preparing for a nationimpacted by nuclear disaster.

Cellerant Therapeutics has received $47.5 million from the government to develop its treatment for radiation poisoning. If approved, the feds could buy the drug for the Strategic National Stockpile, which is a part of Project Bioshield- a portion of the Bush-era War on Terror that medically readies the nation against chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attacks.

This is part of a $163.8 million commitment from theBiomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA.

The new dollars will go toward San Carlos, California-based Cellerants Phase 2 trial in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, as well as the preclinical trials to treat radiation poisoning, or Acute Radiation Syndrome.

As it relates toradiation poisoning, Cellerant said its drugCLT-008 is meant to provide hematopoietic support after exposure to ionizing radiation such as from a nuclear or radiological weapon, or from a nuclear accident, it said in a statement.

The privately held company also recently wrapped up early-stage clinical studies in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, as well as in patients that are undergoing an umbilical cord blood transplant. Cellerant found CLT-008, was safely tolerated in 75 patients, it said in a statement. Its Phase 2 is testing for a decrease in risk of febrile neutropenia, and infections stemming from chemo.

CLT-008 is essentially a collection of deep-freezed stem cells that can ultimately defrost and mature into working granulocytes, platelets and red blood cells in a person. In nonclinical models, Cellerant has shown that the treatments highly effective in providing protection from lethal radiation, preventing infection, facilitating stem cell engraftment and improving overall survival.

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Feds give Cellerant $47.5M for stem cell treatment that preps for nuclear disaster