NeoImmuneTech, US think tank to develop treatment for acute radiation syndrome

Biopharmaceutical company NeoImmuneTech has grabbed an opportunity to supply new drug candidates in development as strategic items to the US government.

NeoImmuneTech on Tuesday said it signed a research and development agreement to work on treatment for acute radiation syndrome (ARS) with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases(NIAID) under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) based in Washington, DC.

ARS is a disease that can occur due to exposure to a large dose of penetrating radiation through incidents like a terrorist attack that damages the immune system. The rapid drop in platelets and immune cells such as neutrophils and lymphocytes exposes the body to a host of infections.

NeoImmuneTech has developed anticancer drugs with its candidate substance NT-I7 that amplifies T cell lymphocytes to maximize attacks on cancer cells by boosting the volume of immunocytes. NIAID will develop NT-I7 to raise the number of lymphocytes when the latter is reduced by radiation exposure.

NeoImmuneTech expects to sign an NT-I7 supply contract around 2025 if NT-I7's effect is confirmed.

"We will seek to supply (NT-I7) to Europe as a strategic item," NeoImmuneTech CEO Yang Se-hwan said. “The US government's recognition of the effect of T-cell amplification will have a positive impact on the approval of anticancer drugs," he added.

Write to Jae-Young Han at jyhan@hankyung.com