Crosslink awarded $5M Army contract for work at JVIC

St. Louis-based Crosslink, which operates lab facilities at Jordan Valley Innovation Center, has received a $5.25 million, two-year contract from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command and its laboratory at the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center.

Fort Detrick, Md.-based TATRC performs medical reconnaissance and special operations for the U.S. Army, according to its Web site.

Crosslink and its partners at the Center for Biomedical and Life Science at MSU will develop the project, called "System for the Controlled Drug Release of Therapeutic Agents for the Care of Trauma-Induced Wounds and Burns," a Crosslink news release said.

Don Landy, Crosslink vice president of government relations and operations, said the project is already under way at JVIC.

The project entails creating a prototype controlled drug release system that utilizes electroactive polymers, of which Crosslink is a developer, the release said.

Landy said the contract is an extension of Crosslink's research in electroactive polymers; in effect, the project will allow for the polymers to release the contents held inside the polymer reservoir in response to a certain stimulus.

"This is a very large contract, one of the largest contracts we've received," he said. "It's substantial enough in size that it's going to allow us to make an immediate impact."

The release said successful implementation would improve pain and infection control therapeutics for wounds.

The technology could offer benefits to civilians and health care providers as well, according to the release. These benefits would include: restoration of quality of life during patient recovery and rehabilitation; potential to reduce drug resistance and dependency; ability to control patient-specific doses electronically by a remote physician; and potential to increase the abilities of sensors.

Crosslink was one of the first companies to sign up for space in JVIC when the facility broke ground in November 2005, according to SBJ coverage.

Crosslink's newest Army contract is not the first government assignment for the company. Please see the related links.

Related links:

• Crosslink nears Defense project 'crunch time'
• MSU, Crosslink receive $1.7M grant
• House approves federal funding for area projects
• Photo Gallery: The Crosslink Lab

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