Medical countermeasures for unwanted CBRN exposures: Part I chemical and biological threats with review of recent countermeasure patents.
The threat of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) warfare has been addressed as the uppermost risk to national security since the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. Despite significant scientific advances over the past several decades toward the development of safe, non-toxic and effective countermeasures to combat CBRN threats, relatively few countermeasures have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). Therefore, countermeasures capable of protecting the population from the effects of CBRN attack remain a significant unmet medical need. Chemical and biological (CB) threat agents can be particularly hazardous due to their effectiveness in small quantities and ease of distribution. Area covered: This article reviews the development of countermeasures for CB threats and highlights specific threats for which at least one countermeasure has been approved following the FDA Animal Rule. Patents of CB countermeasures since 2010 have been included. Expert opinion: Nine CB countermeasures have received FDA approval for use in humans following the Animal Rule, and a number of promising CB countermeasures are currently under development. In the next few years, we should expect to have multiple countermeasures approved by the FDA for each indication allowing for more flexible and effective treatment options.
a Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics , F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA.|b Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute , Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Vijay K
VK
Singh
a Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics , F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA.|b Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute , Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Melissa
M
Garcia
a Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics , F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA.|b Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute , Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Stephen Y
SY
Wise
c Tech Micro Services , Bethesda , MD , USA.
Thomas M
TM
Seed
D000818:Animals; D054045:Biological Warfare Agents; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods*; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D010330:Patents as Topic; D023481:Terrorism; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
D054045:Biological Warfare Agents; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents
Animal Rule; US Food and Drug Administration; chemical and biological threats; countermeasures