Navrogen Enters Into CRADA With USAMRIID To Test Proprietary Small Molecule NK Cell Activators Against SARS-COV-2 Infection

Navrogen's library of small molecule NK cell activators discovered via proprietary screening assays enhance humoral immune responses against immunosuppressed cancers and immune-related disorders.

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Navrogen, Inc.

Sep 13, 2021, 09:02 ET

CHEYNEY, Pa., Sept. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Navrogen, Inc., a privately held preclinical biotechnology company, announced today that it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with researchers at The United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). The CRADA is focused on testing Navrogen's small molecule NK cell activating agents on suppressing propagation of SARS-COV-2. Researchers at USAMRIID have developed model systems to test agents capable of suppressing SARS-COV-2 infection and propagation. Navrogen has assembled a pipeline of compounds that are able to activate human and rodent NK cells to stimulate humoral immune responses and target cell killing of dysregulated cells. Under this CRADA, USAMRIID will test Navrogen's NAV-201 small molecule against SARS-COV-2 infected human epithelial cells in vitro and in in vivo rodent studies. This approach offers opportunities to address viral infection and propagation regardless of strain genotype.

"We are pleased to have USAMRIID as a partner to test the utility of our NK cell activating agents against viral disease as we advance our humoral immune enhancing agents towards clinical development," stated Nicholas Nicolaides, Chief Executive Officer at Navrogen. "The expertise of USAMRIID researchers in testing our agents to combat infectious diseases offers the best opportunity to evaluate compounds with new modes of anti-viral activity."

Luigi Grasso, Chief Scientific Officer at Navrogen added, "Our NAV-201 small molecule NK cell activator offers a complementary approach to vaccines and viral replication inhibitors in combating infectious diseases, including COVID-19. NAV-201 could enhance a patient's immunity by reducing the number of infected cells".

About Navrogen
Navrogen is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery of tumor-produced Humoral Immuno-Oncology (HIO) factors that are associated with suppressed humoral immunity, poor prognosis and limited therapeutic response of immune-mediated anti-cancer therapies. The company's mission is to develop first-in-class agents that can overcome the immunosuppressive effects of HIO factors by employing its proprietary screening and engineering technologies as well as diagnostic assays that can identify patients whose tumors produce HIO factors to advise physicians on therapeutic options. For more information, please visit www.navrogen.com.

About the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
For over 50 years, USAMRIID has provided leading edge medical capabilities to deter and defend against current and emerging biological threat agents. The Institute is the only laboratory in the Department of Defense equipped to safely study highly hazardous viruses requiring maximum containment at Biosafety Level 4. Research conducted at USAMRIID leads to medical solutions – vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, information, and training programs – that benefit both military personnel and civilians. Established in 1969, the Institute plays a key role as the lead military medical research laboratory for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. USAMRIID is a subordinate laboratory of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command. For more information, visit www.usamriid.army.mil.

[The information contained in this press release does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government and no official endorsement should be inferred.]