The Ministry of Health (MOH) has requested the American biopharmaceutical company Tivic Health to supply the drug Entolimod. It may be included in the national strategic reserve as a treatment for acute radiation sickness. Here are the details.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has requested the American biopharmaceutical company Tivic Health to supply the drug Entolimod. It may be included in the national strategic reserve as a treatment for acute radiation sickness. Here are the details.
Tivic Health Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVC) announced that it has received a formal Request for Information from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The Ukrainian agency also proposed a preliminary meeting regarding the drug Entolimod.
This means that Ukraine is actively considering this tool to replenish its strategic medical supplies in case of radiation injury.
Entolimod is a drug (Toll-like receptor 5 agonist) that activates certain signaling pathways in the body to protect cells in the bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract from programmed cell death caused by radiation.
The company explains the main advantage of its development:
Current drugs, which are traditionally stored in strategic reserves (such as Neupogen, Neulasta, or Leukine), stimulate leukocyte recovery well, but do not save the gastrointestinal tract when exposed to high doses of radiation.
Entolimod is designed specifically to combat gastrointestinal damage, which is critically important during severe radiation exposure.
By the way, the drug has already received Fast Track and Orphan Drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of acute radiation sickness.
Tivic Health Systems Inc. is an American immunotherapy company in clinical development. The company recently changed its business model: while previously they focused on consumer medical devices, they have now fully transitioned into biopharmaceuticals.
The company is currently conducting preclinical studies of Entolimod in collaboration with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is funding the studies. The first study will be conducted at the US Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute.
In addition to radiation protection, the drug is also planned to be used in oncology — to help patients with neutropenia who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
