Non-profit R&D organization Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has announced that it has received a 28-month contract extension worth $8.3 million from the US Department of Health and Human Services Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for continued development of an intranasal isoamyl nitrite formulation for the treatment of cyanide poisoning. The original $4.4 million contract was issued in 2011.
According to the organization, the new funding will be used for additional clinical supplies, safety and efficacy studies in two animal models, and regulatory filings.
SwRI Director of Microencapsulation and Nanomaterials Joe McDonough, the principal investigator, commented, “This antidote could potentially save many lives in an emergency situation by allowing individuals to quickly administer — even self-administer — a life-saving dosage of the isoamyl nitrite intranasally. This formulation, using a nasal delivery method, is relatively low-cost and can be quickly and easily administered in a crisis situation unlike the current method that must be delivered by a trained medical professional.”
Existing cyanide antidotes require intravenous administration, which may be impractical for situations such as terrorist attacks with large numbers of victims, the organization points out.
Read the SwRI press release.
