USAMMDA Announces Agreement with Gilead Sciences to Provide Investigational New Drug for Warfighters Exposed to Coronavirus Disease
News release:
Point of Contact:
Carey Phillips
Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity
(301) 619-7056
E-mail: carey.a.phillips2.civ@mail.mil
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORT DETRICK, Md. – The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, announced today it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Gilead Sciences to provide Gilead's investigational drug, remdesivir, for the treatment of Department of Defense personnel exposed to coronavirus disease 2019, known as COVID-19.
In the CRADA, the USAMMDA Force Health Protection program will allow for the investigational use of remdesivir provided by Gilead, at no cost to the government, in the absence of any approved treatment options.
"Together with our Government and Industry partners, we are progressing at almost revolutionary rates to deliver effective treatment and prevention products that will protect the citizens of the world and preserve the readiness and lethality of our Service Members," said Army Brig. Gen. Michael J. Talley, commanding general of USAMRDC and Fort Detrick.
In February 2020, the FDA allowed Gilead's investigational new drug application for remdesivir to proceed to clinical trials for evaluating its efficacy in the treatment of COVID-19. Remdesivir is an investigational nucleotide analog with broad-spectrum antiviral activity both in vitro and in animal models against multiple emerging viral pathogens including Ebola; Marburg; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, known as MERS-CoV; and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, known as SARS-CoV-1.
Today's announcement builds on a longstanding partnership between the DOD and Gilead Sciences to protect our Service Members. Through a collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, and the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense. Gilead continues to test a collection of their antiviral molecules and remdesivir against other viral pathogens representing potential global health threats.
About USAMMDA
USAMMDA is a subordinate command of the USAMRDC, under the Army Futures Command. As the premier developer of world-class military medical capabilities, USAMMDA is responsible for developing and delivering critical products designed to protect and preserve the lives of Warfighters across the globe. These products include drugs, vaccines, biologics, devices and medical support equipment intended to maximize survival of casualties on the battlefield.
About USAMRDC
The U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command is the Army's medical materiel developer, with responsibility for medical research, development, and acquisition. USAMRDC produces medical solutions for the battlefield with a focus on various areas of biomedical research, including military infectious diseases, combat casualty care, military operational medicine, medical chemical and biological defense, and clinical and rehabilitative medicine.