Hawaii Company PanThera Biopharma, Inc. Supports DoD Mission to Protect Forces Against Bioweapons

HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PanThera Biopharma announced today the award of a $1.6 M contract from the Department of Defense to advance the company’s research activities towards development of a small molecule antidote to treat botulism, which is a worldwide threat as the US fights the War on Terrorism. The one-year, $1.6M contract with the U.S. Army’s Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center will enable PanThera to refine its proprietary drug discovery platform and accelerate the process for selecting preclinical drug candidates. Medical countermeasures against botulism are biodefense priorities for protecting both military and civilian populations against bioterrorism. PanThera’s small molecule antitoxins are designed to provide the improved manufacturability and stability needed to serve as a practical solution for acquisition into strategic stockpiles. Current biological products based on antibodies are available in limited supply, require cold storage and are very expensive. PanThera’s objective is to create a medical solution that is affordable, easy to use and store for stockpile for today’s warfighters and citizens.