Adamas to test antiviral therapies

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Aug. 19 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy has contracted Adamas Pharmaceuticals Inc. to conduct preclinical studies on an influenza antiviral therapy.

U.S. company Adamas announced it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the Naval Health Research Center. Under the agreement, Adamas will evaluate its triple combination antiviral drug therapy for influenza A and the A/H1N1 virus.

As part of the agreement the Naval Health Research Center will conduct comparative tests of Adamas' TCAD therapy to assess the therapy against various pathogenic strains in a move to ensure the health of the U.S. military forces in case of a pandemic.

"Collaborating with the U.S. Naval Health Research Center, with its leadership in medicine and its seminal work in discovering the novel influenza A/H1N1 virus, will significantly advance Adamas' efforts to develop TCAD therapy in response to the influenza pandemic," Gregory Went, Adamas chief executive officer and chairman, said in a statement.

"We look forward to partnering with the Naval Health Research Center to generate data that further support the potential use of TCAD therapy for the military, healthcare workers and general public when faced with the global threat of influenza A outbreaks."