25 Oct ConjuGon secures $2.4 million in '09 defense dollars
Madison, Wis. — ConjuGon, a Madison-based maker of biological products, has secured a $2.4 million federal grant to continue development of its wound infection treatment.
The funds, requested by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, were included in the 2009 Department of Defense appropriations bill that was signed into law on September 30. The company said $1.2 million was granted for the same project in 2008.
ConjuGon is developing technologies to fight an epidemic of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance is considered a medical crisis that is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide each year.
The company has products to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract Infections and to treat antibiotic resistant wound infections.
ConjuGon’s technologies have applications in both public health and military health care because both military personnel and civilians can develop life-threatening bacterial infections following traumatic injury.
Existing antibiotics to fight these infections are becoming less effective, noted ConjuGon COO Steve Watt.