Biopure Corporation (Nasdaq:BPUR), which develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceuticals (oxygen therapeutics), said on 8 May that the company has entered into a collaboration with the US Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) for the development of Hemopure (HBOC-201) as a platform for the first multifunction blood substitute for trauma patients.

NMRC has reportedly received new funding of approximately USD3.4m for Hemopure (HBOC-201). These funds are being granted through the Department of Defense for a project entitled: 'A Multifunctional Blood Substitute for Field Resuscitation of Polytrauma Combat Casualties with Brain Injury and Concomitant Hemorrhagic Shock'.

The preclinical work towards a multifunctional product for traumatic brain injury is expected to be conducted by the NMRC itself and other laboratories. The project is part of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/Traumatic Brain Injury Research Programme of the Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programmes.

Biopure said it will support the NMRC's efforts toward lifting the clinical hold on the NMRC's investigational new drug application to conduct the pending, proposed clinical trial in trauma patients entitled: 'Restore Effective Survival in Shock' (RESUS).