MEDICAL CHEMICAL DEFENSE (ACD&P)

Abstract

This Project provides for the development of medical materiel and other medical equipment items necessary to Technology Development phase of the acquisition life cycle for the advanced development of medical countermeasures for chemical agents including diagnostic equipment; prophylactic, pre-treatment, and therapeutic drugs; and individual/casualty decontamination compounds. A system-of-systems approach for medical defense against chemical agents is required to provide protection, to sustain performance in a chemical environment, and to provide for self-aid/buddy-aid and medical treatment of chemical casualties. Fielding of prophylactic, pre-treatment, and therapeutic drugs and medical devices requires Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Multiple long-term studies are required to obtain FDA approval resulting in longer program timelines treatment for nerve agent intoxication to include new indications for Pyridostigmine Bromide (PB) that will be integrated with current therapeutic regimens. Efficacy testing of most candidate drugs against chemical warfare agents cannot be conducted in humans; therefore, animal surrogate models must be developed and employed. The program currently funds: (1) Bioscavenger, a new capability, to be used as a prophylaxis against nerve agents; (2) Centrally Acting Nerve Agent Treatment System (CANATS), an augmentation to current capability, to treat adverse effects occurring in the central nervous system following nerve agent intoxication and will provide protection against neurological damage, especially brain damage; (3) Inhalation Atropine (IA), an improvement to existing capability leveraging novel delivery, to be used to treat mild to moderate continuing nerve agent induced effects after the patient has been evacuated to a medical treatment facility; and (4) Improved Nerve Agent Treatment System (INATS), a replacement and improvement to existing capability, to be used as a treatment for nerve agent intoxication; the INATS effort also includes expanding the indications for Pyridostigmine Bromide (PB) that will be integrated with current therapeutic regimens.

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Document Details

Document Type
Project
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2012
Source ID
MC4_0603884BP_4_0400_PB_2012

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
  • Neurotoxicology
  • Trauma or Military Medicine

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