CohBar, Inc. announced it has signed a Non-Clinical Evaluation Agreement with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to evaluate the potential of CB5064 Analogs for the treatment of COVID-19 associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. The company is developing its CB5064 Analogs for potential treatment of ARDS, including COVID-19 associated ARDS. This program has shown positive results in models of acute lung injury, which included reduced levels of fluid accumulation, neutrophil infiltration, and cytokine secretion. The company will be utilizing the non-clinical and pre-clinical services program offered by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The NIAID will be responsible for any study conducted under the NCEA. Under the agreement, NIAID will be provided with CohBar's CB5064 Analogs to test in preclinical models of COVID-19, such as the golden Syrian hamster SARS-CoV-2 model. This model has been used in the assessment of other COVID-19 therapeutics and demonstrates clinical features, viral kinetics, histopathological changes, and immune responses similar to mild to moderate disease seen in human COVID-19 patients. Previously, the company submitted its CB5064 Analog program to Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines, a public-private partnership led by the National Institutes of Health and coordinated by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health to develop a research strategy for prioritizing and speeding development of the most promising COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Discussion with NIAID was initiated following review of the program by ACTIV/FNIH.