SPAWARSYSCEN-Charleston, PO Box 190022, N. Charleston, SC 29419-9022

A -- UNCONVENTIONAL PATHOGEN RESEARCH -- BIOLOGICAL WARFARE DEFENSE SOL N65236-99-R-5830 DUE 032599 POC Joanne H. Banks (843) 974-5953, Contracting Officer, Jean C. Duncan WEB: SPAWARSYSCEN Charleston, http://www.nise.spawar.navy.mil/NISEEast/Codes/10/rfp.html. E-MAIL: SPAWARSYSCEN Charleston, banksj@spawar.navy.mil. <DESC>The SPAWAR Systems Center Charleston intends to award a $5.6 million Research and Development (R&D) sole-source contract to Abitis Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Dallas, TX, in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA)BIOLOGICAL WARFARE DEFENSE (BWD)program. Abitis Pharmaceuticals, LLC, will perform tests to determine the efficacy of neuroimmunomodulatory a-MSH peptides as unconventional pathogen countermeasures. This testing consists of five interrelated research tasks: (1) In vivo tests of peptides against spectrum of pathogens; (2) Non-conventional routes of peptide delivery; (3) Identification of the peptide receptors; (4) Improvement of effectiveness of the peptides; and (5) Direct influence of a-MSH peptides on host factors. Abitis Pharmaceuticals, LLC, is the only source capable of performing this work because of the expertise in this field. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. Any responses to this announcement are due 7 days from the date this notice is published to the header address, POC Joanne H. Banks, Code 1115JB. SEE NOTE #22. Posted 03/09/99 (W-SN306472). (0068)

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