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Anacor Pharmaceuticals Receives $21.6 Million
Contract from Department of Defense
Funds will further discovery and development
of biodefense agents
PALO ALTO, Calif.,
October 29, 2002
Anacor Pharmaceuticals today announced that
it was awarded a $21.6 million joint contract from the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the United States Army Medical
Research and Materials Command (USAMRMC) to expedite the research
and development of therapeutics for use against biowarfare agents
such as anthrax.
Anacor was formed
to develop technology that was initially created by co-founders
Dr. Lucy Shapiro at Stanford University and Dr. Stephen Benkovic
at Pennsylvania State University. The company's initial therapeutic
targets are staphylococcus, streptococcus pneumoniae, anthrax, tularemia
and other infectious diseases.
"An immediate
DARPA goal is to speed the identification and development of drugs
that will provide protection in the case of a biological attack.
Anacor is on the forefront of research and development of biodefense
agents and this contract will help expedite the company's efforts,"
stated Dr. John M. Carney, DARPA program manager. "We are impressed
with the preliminary in vitro activity displayed by Anacor's compounds
and look forward to a productive, collaborative relationship."
"The early
technology development was funded by DARPA, and their continued
commitment to our technology through this new contract will accelerate
our progress in developing compounds as biodefense agents,"
said David Perry, chief executive officer of Anacor Pharmaceuticals.
"We're pleased to earn this strong support from DARPA and the
USAMRMC."
In separate
press releases, Anacor also today announced the formation and financing
of the company (see "Anacor
Pharmaceuticals Raises $7 Million in Venture Financing"
and "Anacor Pharmaceuticals
Formed to Develop New Class of Therapeutics").
The Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is the central research
and development organization for the Department of Defense (DoD).
The DARPA mission is to develop imaginative, innovative and often
high-risk research ideas offering a significant technological impact
that will go well beyond the normal evolutionary developmental approaches;
and, to pursue these ideas from the demonstration of technical feasibility
through the development of prototype systems.
The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's (USAMRMC) mission
is to provide solutions to medical problems of importance to U.S.
military troops at home and abroad.
About Anacor
Anacor Pharmaceuticals is an early-stage pharmaceutical company
engaged in the discovery and development of novel antimicrobials
for the treatment of serious bacterial and fungal infections. The
company's technology is based on work originally conducted by Dr.
Lucy Shapiro at Stanford University and Dr. Stephen Benkovic at
Pennsylvania State University. Its initial therapeutic targets are
staphylococcus, streptococcus pneumoniae, anthrax, tularemia and
other infectious diseases. The company's research is funded in part
by a joint contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) and the United States Army Medical Research and Materiel
Command (USAMRMC). Privately held and based in Palo Alto, Calif.,
Anacor is funded by Aberdare Ventures and Rho Ventures. For more
information, visit www.anacor.com.
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