Israeli biopharmaceutical company MediWound has received $6.7 million in additional funding to produce a non-surgical burn treatment for the US Army.
The award follows a 2023 contract to develop the firm’s proprietary NexoBrid field-care solution for the US Department of Defense in collaboration with the multinational biomedicine group Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC).
The agreement increases the initiative’s overall budget to $14.4 million.
NexoBrid Technology
NexoBrid is a topically applied compound made of enzyme concentrates that can break down proteins.
This technology eases severe burns and related damage such as eschar, a condition leading to dermatological problems such as skin shedding and sepsis.
“The additional funding will enhance our [chemistry, manufacturing, control] activities, expedite preclinical development, and facilitate the establishment of a [Good Manufacturing Practice] compliant aseptic production line for the temperature-stable formulation of NexoBrid,” MediWound CEO Ofer Gonen stated.
“This new award underscores our shared commitment to ensuring NexoBrid’s availability for military use and its potential to significantly change the early treatment approach for severe burns.”
‘Transformational Change’
NexoBrid will serve as an “easy-to-use and effective” pre-hospital treatment for warfighters inflicted with burn injuries once its modification for the US Army is completed.
MediWound noted that the formula supports MTEC’s objectives in bringing soldiers a rapidly available solution for post-injury scenarios with minimal preparation and training requirements.
“The military services require simple and effective non-surgical solutions to treat severe burn patients as close to the point of injury as possible,” MTEC Research Director Lauren Palestrini said during the project’s launch in 2022.
“This work could result in a transformational change to the current standard of care of burn injuries.”
