George Mason University has signed a collaboration agreement to give Noble Life Sciences access to the National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases BSL-3 facility at the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas. The collaboration was announced Monday, Dec. 21.
The agreement enables Noble Life Sciences to carry out federal and non-federally funded BSL-3 animal model projects to support the development of new antiviral and antibacterial agents against infectious and resistant pathogens.
“The collaboration with Noble Life Sciences opens doors to new opportunities for the development of novel therapeutics and diagnostics by Mason scientists and enables us to partner with an entity that has extensive experience bringing such new discoveries to the marketplace,” said Ali Andalibi, Chief Scientific Officer of the BRL and Senior Associate Dean in Mason’s College of Science.
Sykesville, Maryland-based Noble Life Sciences is a preclinical contract research organization owned and operated by scientists with decades of experience in drug, vaccine, and medical device development. They offer services in pharmacology, disease models, early safety assessments, toxicology, PCR, Flow Cytometry, in vivo imaging, and cell-based assays.
“Access to the BSL-3 facility through this collaboration agreement with Mason will enable NLS to provide preclinical testing services in support of an immediate need for the development of coronavirus vaccines and therapeutics as well as other emerging infectious diseases,” said Srujana Cherukuri, Chief Executive Officer at NLS.
Mason and Noble Life Sciences have also agreed to explore collaborative research opportunities for development of animal models for viral diseases, development of animal tissue-based and cell culture-based assay methodologies for the assessment of the efficacy of vaccines and therapeutics for viral agents, and assay and reagent development for quantification of viral RNA and/or protein.