The United States has awarded a research firm $3.8 million to test a new antibiotic's potential to counter potential biological-weapon agents, the Chicago Tribune reported yesterday (see GSN, Aug. 22, 2007).
Advanced Life Sciences Holdings is expected to use the U.S. Defense Department grant to examine the effects of the antibiotic cethromycin on melioidosis, plague and tularemia.
The antibiotic, now in the final stages of testing for use against pneumonia, has also shown some effectiveness against anthrax spores inhaled by humans.
Advanced Life Sciences hopes cethromycin can help fill a federal demand for antibiotics that counter several disease pathogens, according to Michael Flavin, the company's chief.
"If cethromycin can demonstrate potent activity through the studies funded by this contract we believe it will be well positioned to compete for revenues from a potential [Strategic National Stockpile] contract," he said (Jon Van, Chicago Tribune, Sept. 15).