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Oligonucleotide Enzyme Surrogate (OnES)

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
Office for Chemical and Biological Defense 		Award ID:
86066 		Program Year/Program:
2009 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
C081-108-0102 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Accacia International LLC
1925 Rutland Dr. Suite E Austin, TX 78758-5480
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Woman-Owned: Yes
Minority-Owned: Yes
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 2
Fiscal Year: 2009
Title: Oligonucleotide Enzyme Surrogate (OnES)
Agency / Branch: DOD / CBD
Contract: FA8650-09-C-6030
Award Amount: $699,991.00
 

Abstract:

Nerve agents (NA) such as sarin, soman, tabun or VX are organophosphate compounds similar to those used as pesticides but with much higher toxicity that can cause death within minutes. Use of NA weapons of mass destruction has become a real threat since the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s and the sarin attacks against civilians in Japan in 1994 and 1995. Nerve agents are relatively simple and inexpensive to produce, transport, and deploy and are the most toxic of the known chemical warfare agents. Therefore, there is an increasing threat of their use for terrorist purposes against military and civilian populations. This calls for effective preventive and therapeutic preparedness. Currently available antidotes are not very effective. We propose to develop adaptazymes (catalytic oligonucleotides) that would hydrolyze soman and other NAs and organophosphates. We will partner with Battelle, Texas A&M University and Archemix to develop and market our adaptazyme technology. Such adaptazymes would find commercial application in preventive and therapeutic treatment of NA and organophosphate pesticide poisoning in humans and animals. These adaptazymes would also be very useful for decontamination of environmental deposits of organophosphates.

Principal Investigator:

Jean Bishop
Principal Investigator
5126173387
jean@accaciabio.com

Business Contact:

Eula Sequeira
President
5127828204
eula@accaciabio.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

ACCACIA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
One Tech Plaza 2113 Wells Branch Parkway, Suite 6900 Austin, TX 78728

EIN/Tax ID: 742971514
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No