Posted: 4 September 2023
Clinical-stage pharmaceutical company ENA Respiratory has been awarded an additional $3.8 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defence (DOD) to support ongoing research and development of INNA-051, a first-in-class, intranasal, innate immune modulator for the prevention of complications associated with respiratory viral infections in at-risk populations. The company also announced new clinical leadership and consultants as it plans for a seasonal prophylaxis Phase 2b study.
The new funding adds to the $4.38 million initial DOD funding the company announced in January 2023, which has been used to implement INNA-051 manufacturing on a larger scale. The funds also supported the development of a dry powder formulation that is expected to provide long-term stability of at least 24 months at room temperature. The new funding will support the non-clinical toxicology and safety studies needed to enable a seasonal prophylaxis Phase 2b study to demonstrate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of intranasal INNA-051 in preventing respiratory illness in people aged 65 or older.
“Early studies validated the safety of INNA-051 and provided proof of pharmacology by accelerating virus clearance and boosting host defense responses against common respiratory viruses,” said Christophe Demaison, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of ENA Respiratory. “We are grateful for the U.S. DOD support and look forward to continuing to study INNA-051 in preventing respiratory illnesses, especially in those at greatest risk of exposure, complications, orhospitalization.”
The contract was awarded by the DOD’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND), Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical in collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).
