Cornerstone

The Cornerstone program will develop safe and effective Integrated Countermeasures (i.e., countermeasure and delivery system) to prevent brain injury. Military personnel face a high risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting in a debilitating long-term burden both to the person, as well as the healthcare infrastructure. At this time, no treatments for TBI have progressed past Phase II clinical trials. Cornerstone will improve mission execution, and warfighter protection by addressing this gap. Cornerstone will consist of two technical areas; (TA1) Identify, optimize, and validate prophylactic countermeasures that prevent relevant targets at sites of injury from initiating injury response(s) to kinetic injury (e.g., blast); (TA2) Develop clinically relevant spatial and temporal delivery of countermeasures. Ultimately, the development of prophylactic therapeutics that prevent injury by blocking the initiation of harmful signaling [initiating at the sites of injury] will sustain warfighter readiness, and facilitate a strategic, operational, and tactical advantage.