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Biosecurity BriefingDTRA Awards Contract to Study Potential of Cethromycin as Broad-Spectrum AntibioticBy Crystal Franco, August 18, 2008 On August 13, 2008, Advanced Life Sciences issued a press release announcing the award of a two year, $3.8 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for advanced development of the antibiotic cethromycin as a potential broad-spectrum medical countermeasure. The contract is part of DTRA’s Transformation Medical Technologies Initiative and will include “studies evaluating cethromycin's efficacy in combating Category A and B bioterror agents such as Fransicella [sic] tularensis (tularemia), Yersinia pestis (plague) and Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis).”1 In a 2007 non-human primate study, when taken orally once a day for 30 days, cethromycin was shown to be 100% protective against a lethal dose of anthrax. In comparison, the standard antibiotic used for anthrax, ciprofloxacin, was shown to be 90% protective. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved cethromycin for marketing for use as a prophylactic treatment for anthrax or any other use. However, the FDA has designated cethromycin as an “orphan drug for the prophylactic treatment of inhalation anthrax post-exposure.”1 The purpose of the Advanced Life Sciences contract is to study the potential of cethromycin for use against biological agents “beyond the success that was demonstrated in preventing inhalation anthrax.” Already, scientists have found that against Burkholderia, cethromycin “is very active and may have a more favorable resistance profile than other approved antibiotics…”1 Advanced Life Sciences will be awarded $1.8 million over the first 9 months of the contract. The remaining $2.0 million will be awarded in the final 15 months as the project concludes. Dr. Michael T. Flavin, chairman and CEO of Advanced Life Sciences, emphasized that the U.S. government is “committed to identifying and acquiring a next-generation antibiotic that has activity against more than one Category A and B bioterror pathogen.” He is hopeful that if this project is successful, Advanced Life Sciences will be well positioned to compete for a potential stockpile contract in the future.1 References
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