Biodefense Programs

AVI BioPharma has collaborative agreements with the U.S. government for the advancement of its RNA-based technologies related to the development of antiviral agents targeting hemorrhagic viruses and other real-world emerging threats to public health, including the H1N1 pandemic influenza virus and other pathogenic outbreaks.

Working in collaboration with the Transformational Medical Technologies program (TMT) of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, a part of the U.S. Department of Defense, we have been engaged in the development of antiviral agents for Marburg and Ebola viruses. Also working in cooperation TMT, we have been involved in the development of RNA-based drug candidates targeting influenza viruses, including the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, also known as swine flu.

AVI has received and continues to receive funding from the U.S. government for a variety of other programs including Junín virus, Dengue virus, anthrax and ricin.

About Defense Threat Reduction Agency

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) was founded in 1998 to integrate and focus the capabilities of the Department of Defense that address the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threat. The mission of the DTRA is to safeguard America and its allies from WMD (e.g. chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives) by providing capabilities to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat, and mitigate its effects. Under DTRA, Department of Defense resources, expertise and capabilities are combined to ensure the United States remains ready and able to address the present and future WMD threats. For more information on DTRA, visit www.dtra.mil.

About Transformational Medical Technologies Program

The TMT was created by the DoD to protect the Warfighter from emerging and genetically altered biological threats by discovering and developing a wide range of medical countermeasures through enhanced medical research, development, test and evaluation programs. The TMT Program Office is matrixed from the Joint Science and Technology Office – DTRA and Joint Program Executive Office – Chemical and Biological Defense, with oversight from the Office of the Secretary of Defense. For more information on TMT, visit www.TMT-cbdefense.org.

This page was last updated on July 22, 2010.