SIGA Technologies is getting a $20 million shot in the arm from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease to accelerate development of the smallpox antiviral ST-246. The extra money will be used to supplement SIGA's existing $16.5 million contract, accelerating process development related to large-scale manufacturing and packaging of the drug and commercial-scale validation.
"Funding provided by this contract brings us one step closer to our goal of commercialization by allowing us to initiate commercial manufacturing of the drug in a timely manner and supporting the operating process," said CSO Dr. Dennis E. Hruby. "The support that we continue to receive from NIH for research and development of ST-246, we believe, speaks to the urgent need for a smallpox antiviral, as well as the continued success demonstrated by ST-246."
- check out the SIGA release