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Higgins: $6.6 million contract for Cleveland BioLabs

by jmaloni

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Mon, Sep 21st 2015 03:40 pm

Funding will go toward development of entolimod, drug to mitigate death from exposure to lethal radiation

Congressman Brian Higgins has announced Buffalo biopharmaceutical company Cleveland BioLabs Inc. has been awarded a grant of up to $6.6 million from the Department of Defense. This award will fund a clinical study designed to support a biologics license application for entolimodas, a medical radiation countermeasure.

"Groundbreaking scientific progress is happening right here in Western New York," Higgins said. "This significant federal investment by the Department of Defense speaks to the innovative work being done at Cleveland BioLabs, and Buffalo's place as a leader in biopharmaceuticals and medicine."

Entolimod is Cleveland BioLabs' most advanced potential product. Its possible applications include reducing the risk of death from a radiation disaster and use as an immunotherapy for oncology.

Yakov Kogan, Ph.D., CEO for Cleveland BioLabs, said, "We are very grateful for Congressman Higgins' support of Cleveland BioLabs and other Western New York companies involved in medical research. We are proud representatives of the growing base of biopharmaceutical development here in Buffalo and are committed to commercializing entolimod as a life-saving radiation countermeasure."

Earlier this September, Cleveland BioLabs was awarded a $9.2 million contract from the Department of Defense to fund additional pivotal studies with entolimod supporting the same indication. With this new contract, the DOD has awarded $15.8 million in new funding this month to Cleveland BioLabs for the advanced development of entolimod as a medical radiation countermeasure.

Cleveland BioLabs is developing novel approaches to activate the immune system and address serious medical needs. The company has alliances with the Cleveland Clinic and Roswell Park Cancer Institute, the nation's first cancer center.

Higgins is a supporter of medical research funding. This week, he spoke on the House Floor as a part of the Rally for Medical Research on the need to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health.

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