Valion Bio (NASDAQ: VBIO) confirmed that the U.S. House Armed Services Committee‘s FY27 National Defense Authorization Act report directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs, or ASD (ND-CBD), in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, to develop a resources and fielding plan for prioritizing radiation/nuclear countermeasures that are both prophylactic (radioprotectant) and therapeutic (radiomitigant).
The development comes on the heels of the company’s April 2026 briefing to the ASD (ND-CBD) and its May 2026 briefing to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) about its lead candidate, Entolimod.
Entolimod is a recombinant deletion variant of Salmonella FliC flagellin engineered to activate TLR5 selectively. Upon engagement, Entolimod triggers specific pathways that ultimately promote multi-tissue cytoprotection and inhibit apoptosis in radiosensitive hematopoietic and gastrointestinal tissues. The compound has demonstrated survival benefit as both a radioprotectant and a radiomitigant in controlled non-human primate studies under FDA Animal Rule.
In a statement, Valion Bio CEO Michael Handley said, “For too long, nuclear/radiation preparedness has relied on agents that can only be used after the damage is done. We strongly commend the Committee for recognizing that the nation needs a radiation countermeasure, such as Entolimod, that works both before and after exposure. And we’re incredibly energized that the highest levels of the U.S. defense establishment are now prioritizing this capability.”
