Chimerix, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMRX), announced its investigational broad-spectrum antiviral brincidofovir has been selected as one of two investigational agents to be evaluated in a clinical study in patients with confirmed Ebola Virus Disease in west Africa. Chimerix and the University of Oxford are in the process of finalizing a definitive agreement for supplying brincidofovir for the planned clinical trial.

With funding provided by the Wellcome Trust, the trial will be led by the University of Oxford on behalf of the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC), with operational support in west Africa provided by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The World Health Organization (WHO) and local health authorities are also participating in this clinical research. The west African trials will require the review and authorization of local health ministers and ethics boards prior to commencement.

“During what is perhaps the greatest acute public health crisis of our lifetimes, we want to recognize the profound sense of urgency and myriad scientific, medical, and clinical development issues being addressed together with multiple federal and international partners. We look forward to finalizing the trial arrangements with ISARIC as soon as possible to allow a better understanding of the potential benefit that brincidofovir could have in this Ebola Virus Disease outbreak,” said M. Michelle Berrey, M.D., M.P.H., President and Chief Executive Officer of Chimerix.

In October, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a Phase 2 (Study 205) single-arm study to evaluate the safety and antiviral activity of brincidofovir in subjects with confirmed Ebola Virus Disease.