BARDA Selects Edesa Biotech's Drug for U.S. Funded Platform Trial in General ARDS

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has selected Edesa Biotech's drug candidate, paridiprubart (EB05), for a Phase 2 clinical study focused on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This project, funded by the U.S. government, aims to complement ongoing COVID-19 ARDS drug development efforts.

Paridiprubart is designed to modulate the immune response to various public health threats, making it versatile for pandemic preparedness and biodefense. Edesa's CEO, Dr. Par Nijhawan, highlighted the potential of host-directed therapeutics (HDTs) to become key countermeasures in critical care and pandemic scenarios.

The BARDA-funded trial will be randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled, involving multiple U.S. centers. It builds on a previous Phase 2 study showing an 84% reduction in mortality among COVID-19 ARDS patients. The study aims to expand the utility of paridiprubart and inform regulatory and commercialization strategies.