TIAX, a leading collaborative product and technology development firm, today announced that it was awarded a Phase II contract to continue development of a skin cream that protects users from exposure to chemical agents. The Phase II contract was awarded to TIAX by the Department of Defense Chemical and Biological Defense Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program.

This new contract builds on work TIAX began as part of a Phase I contract to develop the initial concept for the cream and establish the efficacy of the neutralizing actives. In Phase II, TIAX intends to develop a Neutralizing Skin Protectant for use in topical formulation prototypes that protect exposed skin from chemical agents while also neutralizing the agents into less toxic products before reaching the skin. Testing by the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense will evaluate the efficacy of the formulations against the actual agents.