Cidara Therapeutics Announces BARDA Award to Support Expanded Manufacturing and Clinical Development of CD388, its Non-Vaccine Influenza Preventative Therapeutic

Rhea-AI Summary

Cidara Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CDTX) announced a multi‑year award from BARDA valued up to $339M on Oct 2, 2025. The agreement includes a Base period providing $58M over 24 months to onshore CD388 manufacturing in the U.S., run a clinical comparability trial for a higher‑concentration formulation and alternate presentations, further non‑clinical characterization against pandemic influenza strains, and begin protocol development for expanded populations. Option periods could provide up to $281M if requested by Cidara and exercised by the U.S. government to support additional clinical and non‑clinical studies and complement plans for a potential BLA to FDA. Contract number: 75A50125C00017.

Positive

• Up to $339M BARDA award announced
• $58M Base funding over 24 months to onshore manufacturing
• Clinical comparability trial funded for higher‑concentration CD388
• Option funding up to $281M to support further studies
• Onshoring expands initial commercial supply capacity in the U.S.

Negative

• Option funding of $281M is contingent on government exercise
• Base funding covers 24 months only; long‑term funding not guaranteed

Insights

Public health preparedness analyst

BROADLY POSITIVE: BARDA up to $339M supports U.S. manufacturing and further clinical/non-clinical work on CD388.

What it means: The award provides a Base $58M over 24 months to onshore manufacturing and run a comparability clinical trial for a higher‑concentration formulation and alternate presentations of CD388, plus non‑clinical work versus pandemic strains. Why it matters: Federal funding reduces near‑term development and supply‑chain costs and creates a U.S. supply pathway that the release ties to pandemic preparedness.

Note: The contract lists an Option up to $281M that could fund additional studies and support a potential BLA filing.

Biopharmaceutical development strategist

FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT: Base funding covers onshoring and a comparability clinical trial; options could finance expanded clinical programs.

What it means: The Base contract explicitly funds domestic manufacturing scale‑up and a clinical trial to demonstrate comparability of a higher‑concentration formulation and different presentations, plus non‑clinical characterization against pandemic strains. Why it matters: These activities directly address technical and regulatory requirements cited in the release by enabling manufacturing capacity and generating data that the company states will support expanded population studies and a potential BLA.

Note: Contract number 75A50125C00017 and the specific funding amounts ($58M Base; up to $281M Option) are concrete, monitorable items.

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDTX), a biotechnology company using its proprietary Cloudbreak^® platform to develop drug-Fc conjugate (DFC) therapeutics, today announced it has received an award valued up to $339M from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The multi-year agreement consists of a Base contract with Option periods. The Base period funding of $58M over 24 months supports the onshoring of CD388 manufacturing to the United States as an addition to the initial commercial supply chain. This initial funding will also be used to conduct a clinical trial to demonstrate the comparability of a higher-concentration formulation and different presentations of CD388, further characterize its activity against pandemic influenza strains in non-clinical models and initiate the development of clinical trial protocols for expanded populations. The Option periods funding up to $281M, if requested by Cidara and exercised by the U.S. government, would support additional clinical and non-clinical studies of CD388 in specific populations, as a complement to the company’s plans for potential Biologics License Application (BLA) submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Clinical and non-clinical data generated to date suggest that CD388 has the potential to be an effective non-vaccine preventative for both pandemic and seasonal influenza,” said Jeffrey Stein, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Cidara. “A long-acting, universal influenza preventative that confers broad protection against all strains of influenza across all populations is critical for pandemic preparedness, especially for the millions of Americans who are immune-compromised, have comorbidities that can lead to severe complications from influenza infection, or the elderly who have diminished response to vaccines. We welcome BARDA’s partnership that will enable us to accelerate domestic supply options for CD388 production. This will both expand our commercial supply capacity, as well as ensure U.S. supply of CD388 in the event of an influenza pandemic.”

This project is being supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under contract number 75A50125C00017.

About CD388
CD388 is an investigational drug-Fc conjugate (DFC) comprised of multiple copies of a potent small molecule neuraminidase inhibitor stably conjugated to a proprietary Fc fragment of a human antibody. DFCs are not vaccines or monoclonal antibodies but are low molecular weight biologics designed to function as long-acting small molecule inhibitors. CD388 was designed to provide universal protection against all known strains of seasonal and pandemic influenza with the potential to provide season-long protection with a single subcutaneous or intramuscular administration. Importantly, because CD388 is not a vaccine, its activity is not reliant on an immune response and thereby is expected to be efficacious in individuals regardless of immune status. More information can be found at: https://www.cidara.com/cloudbreak/influenza/.

About Cidara Therapeutics
Cidara Therapeutics is using its proprietary Cloudbreak^® platform to develop novel DFCs comprising targeted small molecules or peptides coupled to a proprietary human antibody fragment. Cidara’s lead DFC candidate, CD388, is a long-acting antiviral designed to achieve universal prevention of seasonal and pandemic influenza with a single dose by directly inhibiting viral proliferation. In June 2023, CD388 was granted Fast Track Designation by the FDA. Cidara announced positive top-line results from its Phase 2b NAVIGATE trial in June 2025. Cidara is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.cidara.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “anticipates,” “expect,” “intends,” “believes,” “may,” “plan” or “will”. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements related to the potential benefits of and future plans for CD388, whether we will be able to transfer manufacturing to U.S. contract manufacturers, whether an influenza pandemic will occur and if it does whether CD388 will be purchased by the U.S. government. Such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, such as unanticipated delays in or negative results from Cidara’s clinical trials and other risks related to clinical development, delays in action by regulatory authorities, other obstacles associated with the enrollment of patients or other aspects of CD388 or other DFC development, having to use cash in ways other than as expected and other risks and uncertainties associated with Cidara’s business in general. These and other risks are identified under the caption “Risk Factors” in Cidara’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2025 and other filings subsequently made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Cidara does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise.

INVESTOR CONTACT:
Brian Ritchie
LifeSci Advisors
(212) 915-2578
britchie@lifesciadvisors.com

MEDIA CONTACT:
Michael Fitzhugh
LifeSci Communications
(628) 234-3889
mfitzhugh@lifescicomms.com

FAQ

What did Cidara (CDTX) announce on Oct 2, 2025 regarding BARDA funding?

Cidara announced a multi‑year BARDA award valued up to $339M, including a $58M Base period and up to $281M in Option periods.

How much Base funding did BARDA provide to Cidara for CD388 manufacturing?

BARDA provided a $58M Base period award to support onshoring CD388 manufacturing over 24 months.

What will the Base period BARDA funds be used for for CD388 (CDTX)?

Base funds will onshore manufacturing, run a clinical comparability trial for a higher‑concentration formulation, characterize non‑clinical activity against pandemic strains, and develop expanded population protocols.

Is the full $339M guaranteed for Cidara (CDTX)?

No. The $281M in Option periods is contingent on Cidara request and U.S. government exercise; only the $58M Base is funded initially.

Will BARDA support Cidara's regulatory path for CD388?

BARDA option funding, if exercised, would support additional studies that the company says would complement plans for a potential BLA submission to FDA.

What is the BARDA contract number for the CD388 award to Cidara (CDTX)?

The contract number is 75A50125C00017.