Micron Biomedical Secures NIAID Contract for Radiation Countermeasure

Micron Biomedical has been awarded a four-point-five-million-dollar contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to develop medical countermeasures against radiation injury. The agreement was announced on July twenty-seven through the institutes Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program. This funding supports the creation of a device that combines Microns dissolvable microarray delivery technology with xempritolimod, an agonist produced by Connext designed to treat Acute Radiation Syndrome following high-dose radiation exposure over a short period.

The resulting platform is engineered for thermostability and can be deployed by personnel with minimal training or administered by patients themselves. Once used, the device is discarded as sharps-free waste, making it suitable for rapid deployment during emergencies. Steven Damon, chief executive of Micron Biomedical, stated that in an event where radiation exposure occurs, this system would enable a fast response to affected locations and individuals who could self-administer the treatment.

The technology features what Damon describes as a button or microarray patch applied to the back of the wrist by patients or caregivers. Upon pressing the device to release medicine, it is discarded. Beyond emergency radiation countermeasures, the platform has potential applications for vaccines and injectable weight loss medications. For low-income countries facing outbreaks such as measles, this system removes barriers to access because no doctor is required for administration. A mother could administer the patch to her child or transport supplies via moped into villages lacking infrastructure.

Furthermore, since the microarray patches do not require refrigeration, they can be stockpiled for biosecurity events or pandemics. The technology originated from Mark Prausnitzs laboratory at Georgia Tech and is licensed by Micron Biomedical, which was co-founded by Prausnitz along with Devin McAllister and Sebastien Henry. Although described as needle-free in company materials, patents refer to it as a microneedle patch because the projections are microscopic and dissolve within the skin.

The manufacturing process involves formulating medicine into a liquid solution cast onto a micro-molded template. Vacuum is applied from beneath the mold to pull the solution into microscopic needle cavities while eliminating air bubbles. The mold is then dried, solidifying the drug without cold storage requirements. A backing layer is added before removing the finished array.

When administered by pressing a button on skin, the microarray penetrates only upper layers and avoids deeper nerve endings for virtually painless delivery. Damon noted this represents the first such delivery system in existence. Clinical trials published in The Lancet tested patches against three influenza strains showing numerically higher seroconversion than injections across all strains, though differences were not statistically significant.

Notably, the patch demonstrated seventy-one per cent seroconversion at day twenty-eight compared to thirty-two per cent for injection regarding strain B. Through a separate partnership funded by CEPI, Micron applies its technology to CastleVaxs rapid-response vaccine platform aimed at compressing development timelines for future pandemic threats.

However, large-dose therapeutics cannot be used due to cavity size limitations within the array. Damon explained that while dose limited, many drugs can still be handled. Under this NIAID contract with Korean clinical-stage biotech company Connext, the technology will enter warehouses for stockpiling availability when needed. Micron aims to launch first products by 2028.

Damon attributed improvements in timelines to building domestic manufacturing equipment and facilities essential for commercial-scale production. His vision involves releasing smaller initial products within two years once FDA approval is secured. The company intends to prove its platform to the regulatory body before accelerating work on approved drugs alongside new drug development through three phases.