AMES, IA – NewLink Genetics Corporation of Ames, Iowa, today announced a letter contract with the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for studies that will bring an Ebola vaccine licensed from the Public Health Agency of Canada closer to human clinical trials. The letter contract is for $1.0 million with additional funding subject to final negotiation and will fund Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling pre-clinical toxicology studies and includes the manufacture of clinical materials.
“There is an urgent need for a medical countermeasure against the deadly Ebola virus,” commented Dr. Charles Link, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NewLink. “This Ebola vaccine has been 100% effective in preventing lethal infection when given to non-human primates before they are infected with the virus. The vaccine also acts rapidly enough to have significant efficacy even when given to animals that have recently received a typically lethal dose of Ebola virus.”
“Advancing this vaccine into a human Phase I safety study is a major priority for NewLink and our partners, whose ongoing support will be critical for moving the project forward,” added Dr. Nicholas Vahanian, President and Chief Medical Officer of NewLink.
NewLink is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel immuno-oncology products to improve treatment options for patients with cancer. NewLink’s portfolio includes biologic and small molecule immunotherapy product candidates intended to treat a wide range of oncology indications. NewLink’s product candidates are designed to harness multiple components of the immune system to combat cancer without significant incremental toxicity, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other treatment regimens.
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