Medesis Pharma published an information note on the three future drugs in development for the protection of large populations contaminated after a civil or military nuclear accident. Three drugs are specifically intended for the treatment of large populations contaminated or irradiated after a civil or military nuclear accident. To date, there is no suitable treatment for a serious nuclear accident.

The three products are at the heart of the issues with the tragic international situation in Ukraine, raising the possibility of nuclear war. They are also topical with the recent decisions to maintain the development of nuclear power plants. Medesis Pharma's three drug candidates were developed in collaboration with the French Atomic Energy Commission (LRT-CEA), which carried out all the studies on animals contaminated by radionuclides, and with the Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute (IRBA) for studies on irradiated animals.

Each of these products is protected by an international patent registered or in the process of being registered in most nuclear countries in the world. The therapeutic activity has been demonstrated, and a complementary program is necessary with pharmaceutical development for industrial production and a tolerance study on healthy volunteers to demonstrate safety before introducing the products into State emergency stocks. Funding requests for these 3 programs have been submitted by Medesis Pharma to the French Defense Innovation Agency.

NU01: NanoCaDTPA: Plutonium decorporation: For more than 40 years, CaDTPA has been used by repeated slow IV infusion over several weeks. However, this treatment carried out in a medical environment is suitable for a few contaminated people (workers in Nuclear Power Plants), but impossible to implement when several hundred thousand people are contaminated. NanoCaDTPA (formulation of CaDTPA in the Aonys microemulsion) makes it possible to obtain the same efficiency of extraction of Plutonium, but with simple administration in the mouth, from a bottle stored at room temperature.

NU02: NanoPB (Prussian Blue): Cesium decorporation: Prussian Blue has been used for many years for the extraction of Cesium. It is administered in large capsules of 500 mg, 18 capsules per day for 2 to 3 months. Impossible to dissolve, it is almost impossible to give to children and adolescents and is accompanied by obstinate constipation resulting in irradiation of the small pelvis.

However, Cesium is fixed preferentially in the muscles and in particular in the heart muscle causing abnormalities and cardiac pathologies in children and adolescents. The NanoPB consists of Prussian Blue nanoparticles synthesized and stabilized in the Aonys microemulsion. It allows to obtain a decorporation of cesium 3 times faster with 100 times less Prussian Blue.

It is drinkable and suitable for administration at any age, including infants and children. NP02: NanoManganese: The active ingredient is manganese sulphate in the Aonys microemulsion. This product prevents and treats the storm of inflammatory cytokines triggered by irradiation that causes major respiratory and digestive inflammation responsible for death.

Efficacy is observed if treatment is started within hours of irradiation. It is administered by mouth and stored in bottles at room temperature. This product is currently in a Phase II clinical study in Brazil to treat severe forms of COVID-19 which are also linked to an inflammatory cytokine storm.

Product development Plan: For each of the two decorporation products of Plutonium and Cesium: Pharmaceutical CMC development with preparation for industrial production, Tolerance study on 50 healthy volunteers treated for one month. For the radiation protection product already in clinical development: Industrial development, Tolerance study on 50 healthy volunteers for one month. Deadlines for product registration and industrial manufacturing: 18 months for the two decorporation products; 12 months for the radiation protection product.

In practice, these deadlines can be shortened or extended depending on whether or not the Medicines Agency and the public authorities consider it urgent.