- SAN DIEGO, March 8
(UPI) -- Drug maker Hollis-Eden Thursday called "shocking" the
U.S. government's nixing a possible contract to buy its anti-radiation
drug.
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- Hollis-Eden said it was informed Wednesday that the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services has found the company's anti-radiation
treatment Neumune "technically unacceptable" and that the government
was no longer considering buying the drug for its anti-radiation stockpile.
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- Hollis Eden said HHS provided no further rationale for
its decision.
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- "Given the nature and stage of our communications
with HHS regarding our original (acute radiation syndrome) proposal and
subsequent revisions, this decision by HHS to exclude our proposal and
cancel the (proposal) is shocking and difficult to understand," said
Richard Hollis, chairman and chief executive officer of Hollis-Eden. "While
we will attempt to gain a better understanding from HHS why this determination
was made, we clearly met all of the very detailed requirements of the solicitation."
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- Hollis added, "Neumune is the only agent ever to
have shown the ability to reduce mortality from ARS in primates when administered
as a single agent hours after radiation exposure without supportive care.
This survival benefit was statistically significant, and was generated
under GLP conditions. Results were recently published in a peer-reviewed
journal."
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- The company said it was told by HHS last June that its
proposal to supply Neumune was within the competitive range and that the
government reaffirmed its decision in October. Hollis-Eden said it believes
that, as of that time, its proposal to supply the drug was the only one
still being considered by HHS.
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- http://www.upi.com/HealthBusiness/feds_nix_nuke_dr
ug_firm_shocked/20070308-110030-4714r/
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