# Rutgers University CounterACT Center of Excellence

> **NIH NIH U54** · RBHS-SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH · 2020 · $3,880,001

## Abstract

Abstract
This is a renewal application for the Rutgers University CounterACT Research Center of Excellence, which is
focused on the discovery and development of drugs to treat poisoning from exposure to vesicants including
sulfur mustard, nitrogen mustard, and other mechanistically related chemical threat agents. The Center
consists of three Research and Development Projects, each focused on a major vesicant target: the skin, the
cornea and the lung. The overall goal of the Center is to identify specific targets in these tissues that can be
used for therapeutic intervention. To accomplish this goal, mechanistic research using appropriate models for
the skin, cornea and lung is being performed by scientific experts in each of these areas. The Research and
Development Projects are supported by a Pharmacology and Drug Development Scientific Support Core and a
Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry Scientific Support Core, each consisting of investigators with
considerable expertise in drug discovery, delivery and development. The Rutgers Center has discovered
several efficacious lead compounds and developed innovative formulations and delivery systems that increase
pharmacological activity and improve pharmacokinetic profiles. Two lead compounds, one for mustard-
induced ocular injury and another for mustard-induced lung injury, are FDA approved for other uses, and are
being advanced for use as mustard countermeasures. IND-enabling studies have been completed on a lead
compound discovered to be effective against mustard-induced skin injury. The Rutgers CounterACT Center
has established strategic corporate partnerships for advanced drug development with lead compounds and
support by BARDA. A Research Education Core directed at students, postdoctoral trainees, technical staff,
and new and established investigators has been highly successful and efforts will be expanded during the next
grant period. Plans are to continue mechanistic research with the goal of identifying and developing second
generation drug products with improved effectiveness. Current drug leads will also be advanced in the FDA
approval process. It is anticipated that Center efforts will result in new drugs that will be in the advanced
approval process for treating vesicant poisoning in humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9982782
- **Project number:** 5U54AR055073-15
- **Recipient organization:** RBHS-SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** JEFFREY D LASKIN
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $3,880,001
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2006-09-15 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9982782

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9982782, Rutgers University CounterACT Center of Excellence (5U54AR055073-15). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9982782. Licensed CC0.

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