Chimerix, BARDA Extend Collaboration on Development of CMX001 Against Smallpox

Chimerix, Inc. CMRX, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, oral antivirals in areas of high unmet medical need, today announced the extension of its contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for the continued development of CMX001 as a potential medical countermeasure against smallpox, which is classified as a Category A bioterror agent by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The extension of the contract provides $5 million in funding over 12 months for Chimerix to conduct animal studies that are necessary for an approval of CMX001 for treatment of smallpox infection under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Animal Efficacy Rule. CMX001 is being developed as a treatment or preventive therapeutic for multiple viral diseases based on its antiviral activity against all five families of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses that cause disease in humans, including smallpox. Data from cell culture and animal models of smallpox have shown CMX001 to be highly effective against viruses in the poxvirus family. There is no antiviral agent approved for the treatment of smallpox. An antiviral is needed, in particular, for patients who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions that prevent See full press release