July 17, 2018

HUMANETICS AWARDED PATENT FOR ORAL DRUG TO PROTECT WARFIGHTERS AND First REsponders FROM RADIATION EXPOSURE

Patent protects the use of Humanetics’ lead drug candidate, BIO 300, to prevent Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS)

 

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Minneapolis-based Humanetics Corporation (Humanetics) has been awarded a United States patent for its lead drug candidate, BIO 300. The drug is being developed as a prophylactic treatment to protect warfighters and first responders at risk of exposure to lethal doses of radiation. BIO 300 can be taken orally, providing the benefit of self-administration in the field without the need for medical personnel or clinic facilities.

Exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation causes Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS), which includes multiple sub-syndromes. Radiation-induced damage to the bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract are two of the most serious injuries related to ARS and can result in death in a matter of days or weeks.

At present, there are no FDA-approved prophylactic medical countermeasures to prevent or reduce the incidence of ARS for warfighters and first responders exposed to radiation. The development of such countermeasures will significantly enhance the warfighting mission by sustaining unit effectiveness and are critical for operational preparedness in nuclear/radiological threat environments. These agents are essential for the prevention of radiation exposure casualties. Current world events point to an increasing risk of ionizing radiation exposure to military personnel and civilian populations due to terrorist activities, including nuclear detonation by hostile countries, potential use of stolen nuclear weapons, or the detonation of an improvised nuclear or radiological dispersal device.

“The award of this patent underscores BIO 300’s unique value,” said Ronald J. Zenk, President and CEO of Humanetics. “As a prophylactic radiation countermeasure that can be given orally, BIO 300 provides a critical advantage for warfighters and first responders.”

BIO 300’s role as a prophylactic radioprotectant stems from technology developed at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI), a component of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). The development of BIO 300 for use against ARS was exclusively licensed to Humanetics by the Department of Defense.

BIO 300 is also being developed by Humanetics to protect the normal tissues of cancer patients who receive radiation therapy for solid tumors. It is currently in a clinical trial of patients undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer. These patients can experience numerous side effects associated with radiation therapy, including pneumonitis, pulmonary fibrosis, esophagitis and oral mucositis. The ability of BIO 300 to reduce these serious side effects, thus improving patient outcomes, is being studied in the current trial and will be further studied in planned clinical studies.

About Humanetics Corporation

Humanetics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company engaged in developing and commercializing products to enhance human health and wellbeing in markets with urgent and unmet needs, with a focus on radiation modulators for oncology and medical countermeasures for both military and civilian use. For more information, visit www.humaneticscorp.com.