Successful Preliminary Studies in Radiation Treatments lead to Additional Army Funding for Synedgen
Synedgen Active Agent Reduces Mortality in Animals after Exposure to Lethal Ionizing Radiation
September 30, 2012–Claremont CA–Due to the success of an Army funded, preliminary study showing dramatic reduction in animal mortality after treatment with Synedgen’s therapeutic for lethal ionizing radiation, the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity has awarded supplemental funding totaling $213,550 to further Synedgen’s work in radiation protection. The Army’s investment will provide for additional research of Synedgen’s proprietary polysaccharide PAAG to further assess its mechanism of action and dose response in treating patients who have been exposed to ionizing radiation to prevent compromise of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
No FDA-approved treatments, administered after radiation exposure, are currently available for acute radiation bowel injury. PAAG offers a potential new orally delivered therapy to reduce GI compromise that leads to diarrhea, pain, infection or death and restore GI integrity and healing following ionizing radiation injury.
“In an independent, validated study, PAAG demonstrated a statistically significant 460% increase in survival over the control. We are eager to continue our development program as these results suggest our active pharmaceutical ingredient could dramatically improve survivability and outcomes, providing a much needed medical countermeasure for acute GI radiation syndrome,” stated Synedgen President Shenda Baker.
Previous research has shown PAAG dramatically increases healing and reduces inflammation, edema, and necrosis in animal models of inflammatory bowel diseases, significantly reduces mortality from GI infections with pathogenic enteric bacteria, and markedly reduces inflammation and lesions in radiation-induced oral mucositis.