About Investigational TKM-Ebola Therapeutic
For many years, the Zaire species of Ebola virus (ZEBOV), a highly contagious and lethal human infectious disease, has been associated with periodic outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever in human populations with mortality rates reaching 90%.
In May 2010, a series of studies demonstrating the ability of an RNAi therapeutic utilizing Tekmira’s LNP technology to protect non-human primates from the Ebola virus were published in The Lancet. Tekmira conducted the studies in collaboration with infectious disease researchers from Boston University and the United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). These studies were funded in part by the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Joint Project Manager Transformational Medical Technologies (JPM-TMT) Office. The results of these preclinical studies demonstrated that when siRNA – delivered by Tekmira's LNP technology – targeted the Ebola virus to treat previously infected non-human primates, the result was 100 percent protection from an otherwise lethal dose of Zaire Ebola virus (Geisbert et al., The Lancet, Vol 375, May 29, 2010).
In 2010, Tekmira signed a $140-million contract with the DoD to advance an RNAi therapeutic, which utilized our LNP technology, to treat Ebola virus infection. In 2013, the collaboration was expanded to include significant advances in LNP formulation technology, including a new LNP formulation that was more potent, the ability to be able to lyophilize (freeze-dry) LNP formulations and an LNP formulation that can be administered subcutaneously.
In March 2014, we were granted a Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the development of TKM-Ebola, our anti-Ebola viral RNAi therapeutic. The FDA's Fast Track is a process designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs in order to get important new therapies to the patient earlier.
Human Clinical Trial of TKM-Ebola
In January 2014, Tekmira commenced a Phase I clinical trial using TKM-Ebola. The TKM-Ebola Phase I clinical trial is a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study involving single ascending doses and multiple ascending doses of TKM-Ebola. The study will assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of administering TKM-Ebola to healthy adult subjects.About BioDefense Therapeutics (BD Tx)
This work is being conducted under contract with the US Department of Defense's (DoD) BioDefense Therapeutics (BDTX), a Joint Product Manager within the Medical Countermeasure Systems (JPM-MCS) Joint Project Management Office. A component of the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense, JPM-MCS aims to provide U.S. military forces and the nation with safe, effective and innovative medical solutions to counter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. JPM-MCS facilitates the advanced development and acquisition of medical countermeasures and systems to enhance our nation's biodefense response capability. For more information, visit www.jpeocbd.osd.mil.Read recent news on TKM-Ebola in press releases by clicking here.
