Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ:CERS) saw its stock climb 3.3% following news of a $7.2 million contract amendment from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The new funding expands the company’s existing partnership with the DoD to advance development of its lyophilized, pathogen-reduced Cryoprecipitated Fibrinogen Complex (LyoIFC).
This latest award builds upon nearly $18 million previously allocated to Cerus to support the creation of a shelf-stable, room-temperature version of the product. Designed for use in remote and resource-limited military settings, the LyoIFC aims to provide a rapid-response solution for traumatic bleeding incidents.
The new funds will specifically support CRYO-FIRST, a randomized clinical trial comparing thawed INTERCEPT Fibrinogen Complex to traditional cryoprecipitated antihemophilic factor in trauma patients suffering from hemorrhagic shock.
Dr. Laurence Corash, Cerus’ founder and chief scientific officer, emphasized the clinical importance of the trial, stating it “will build upon the current clinical adoption of IFC by U.S. hospitals and could provide critical information about treating acute trauma patients with fibrinogen deficiency.”
Cerus believes the LyoIFC platform could be a breakthrough in early intervention, enabling treatment of severe bleeding before patients arrive at hospitals or during combat medical evacuations—settings where speed and stability are critical. Hemorrhage is one of the leading causes of preventable death in trauma care.
Since receiving its initial DoD funding in November 2022, Cerus has made progress with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on regulatory planning, scaled up its production capabilities, and delivered prototype materials for evaluation.
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