Recent News

BioFactura Awarded Army SBIR Enhancement Funds; Renews CRADA with USAMRIID to Develop Smallpox Biodefense Therapeutic

12 JAN 2010

BioFactura, Inc. was awarded $500,000 through the US Army Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II Enhancement Program to continue pre-clinical development of the Company’s Smallpox Biodefense Therapeutic. This program provides additional funding to meet the product requirements of an acquisition program and accelerates projects into the commercialization stage. Funding will be used to expand BioFactura’s pre-clinical efficacy studies in established animal models and to accelerate development of a scalable manufacturing process for commercial production.

BioFactura has also renewed its Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) located at Ft. Detrick in Frederick, Maryland. The Company is extending this agreement for an additional three years as it moves its biodefense program into advanced development. Dr. Jay Hooper, Chief of Molecular Virology and subject matter expert, will continue to serve as principal investigator at USAMRIID.

“In addition to its continuing financial support, the Army SBIR Program has been a key advocate and partner throughout the development of our biodefense technologies,” said Darryl Sampey, BioFactura’s President and CEO. “Specifically, BioFactura would like to acknowledge the efforts of our Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) at USAMRIID, Dr. Michael Parker, our Technical Assistance Advocate (TAA), Mr. John Ruehe, and the Army SBIR Program Manager (PM), Mr. Christopher Rinaldi for recommending this award. Innovative initiatives such as the Army SBIR Phase II Enhancement and Commercialization Pilot Programs effectively connect research to investment and procurement and are a model for successful federal R&D technology development.”

BioFactura Announces Collaboration to Develop Rapid Diagnostic for Smallpox

18 JUN 2009

BioFactura and BioAssay Works are jointly developing an optimized, highly sensitive, rapid, visual diagnostic test able to detect and differentiate among multiple pathogenic poxviruses including smallpox. This program is a collaborative effort with the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID, Ft. Detrick MD). Funding for prototype development is provided by a $50,000 grant by the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) under its Fort Detrick Technology Transfer Initiative (FDTTI). If the initial proof-of-concept is successful, other diagnostic capabilities will then be added to allow a differential diagnosis of other illnesses that present similar acute vesiclar and pustular rash symptoms as smallpox. Current diagnostic protocols for smallpox are subjective, slow, and cumbersome. The objective is the delivery of a rapid lateral-flow assay that will provide government agencies and first responders a vital tool for rapid, point-of-care testing.

Work will be conducted under a three-way Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the laboratories of Dr. Jay Hooper at USAMRIID. Dr. Hooper’s laboratory will provide materials for generation of monoclonal antibodies and viral proteins, as well as samples for testing. BioFactura will produce recombinant antibodies and antigens to be used in producing and validating the test. BioAssay Works will develop and produce prototype diagnostic devices for evaluation.

“A point-of-care diagnostic is the perfect complement to our Smallpox Biodefense Therapeutic program,” said Darryl Sampey, BioFactura’s President and CEO. "This product will help solve the critical problem of rapid determination of smallpox infection in the event of a bioterror attack."