Island Pharmaceuticals expands US Army partnership for Marburg study
Island Pharmaceuticals (ASX:ILA) has expanded its Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and the Geneva Foundation.
The collaboration secures final study designs and resourcing to advance a critical Galidesivir dose optimisation study targeting Marburg virus disease.
The research will utilise USAMRIID’s state-of-the-art Biosafety Level 4 containment facilities, the only Department of War laboratory equipped for this high-consequence pathogen.
The upcoming study aims to identify the minimally effective dose of Galidesivir against the highly lethal Angola strain of the Marburg virus.
Investigators will evaluate various dosing regimens and treatment initiation timepoints, with intravenous administration scheduled to commence at either 24 or 48 hours post-exposure, continuing twice daily over a 14-day period.
This expanded agreement marks a major operational milestone for Island Pharmaceuticals, accelerating readiness for its planned two-stage animal rule development programme.
The study builds on compelling preclinical data; previous non-human primate studies demonstrated a remarkable 94% survival rate in subjects infected with the Marburg Musoke strain when treated with Galidesivir, compared to 0% survival in placebo control groups.
Dosing is expected to begin next quarter, with topline results anticipated in the second half of the calendar year 2026.
