Written By Nevella Paul, MBA, CHTS-IS, CTT+, PMP®

PMI Atlanta’s Healthcare Forum for April was enlightened and high informed with the eye opening presentation delivered by Darnisha Harrison, President and CEO, Ennaid Therapeutics.
Darnisha Harrison is responsible for guiding the Ennaid Therapeutics toward its intention of being first-to-market with the world’s first therapeutic cure for two of the most notorious mosquito-borne diseases in the world, Zika virus and Dengue virus.

Prior to founding Ennaid Therapeutics, she spent three years as a scientist, most notably at Amgen and the University of Georgia, and fifteen years in Business Development/Licensing as a Director in various companies within the pharmaceutical industry. Once a Microbiologist and Chemist, Darnisha is now a nationally recognized pharmaceutical entrepreneur by Newsweek Magazine and has greater than twenty-three years’ experience in the Life Sciences

About Ennaid Therapeutics

  • Ennaid Therapeutics translates complex science into medicines while employing a strategic, accelerated platform to develop and commercialize such therapies.
  • Ennaid Therapeutics is developing an orally deliverable anti-viral peptide that treats and prevents (much like anti-malarial) Zika virus and has 9+ additional indications to treat and prevent the following viruses: dengue, chikungunya, West Nile, hepatitis c, yellow fever, tick-borne encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, European encephalitis, Kyasanur Forest virus. 
  • Ennaid Drug Development (EDD) is one of two subsidiaries of Ennaid Therapeutics. EDD is developing cures to help > 400 million people worldwide when infected with the mosquito-borne diseases, Zika virus and Dengue virus, the world’s fastest-growing pandemic.
  • The therapeutic has been compared to an antibiotic as patients may have to repeat treatment due to different virus strains.

Darnisha began opened her presentation with a thought provoking question – “In the history of vaccines only one virus has been eradicated. Can you guess which disease that is?” Answer: Smallpox. This was an unknown fact to many which made the audience eager to know more. Darnisha shared the nine deadliest viruses and how viruses are invisible threats. Those nine are: Small pox, Influenza, HIV, Retroviruses, Measles, Yellow Fever, Dengue, Lassa virus and Ebola. Many others are very harmful including, Zika virus, bubonic plague, H1N1, SARS, and chikungunya, often posing an economic burden greater than $39 billion globally.

Darnisha went into detail on some of the viruses:

Influenza

  • Influenza viruses cause disease among persons in all age groups.
  • The risks for complications, hospitalizations, and deaths from influenza are higher among persons aged 65 years and older.

Zika

  • Zika primarily spreads through infected mosquitos. You can also get Zika through s sex without a condom with someone infected by Zika, even if that person does not show symptoms of Zika
  • Infection during pregnancy can cause a birth defects called microcephaly.
  • Zika and Dengue have been linked to Epileptic seizures.
  • There was no real concern or notice of Zika until a physician noticed the increased number of babies born with microcephaly. Microcephaly are congenital birth defects such as small heads and severe brain damage in infants.
  • Prevention: Use EPA-registered insect repellent for mosquitos. Wear long sleeves and long pants and remove standing water from your home.
  • A number of case studies are taking place within Ennaid Therapeutics.

Polio

  • Eradication of Polio has been pushed from year 2019 to 2023.

Ennaid Therapeutics has collaborated with from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, FL and The University of Washington in Settle, WA to develop an anti-flavivirus technology. This proprietary technology shows > 99% effectiveness against flavivirus infectivity (both Zika virus and Dengue virus are flaviviruses). EDD’s fast track development plan will safely and rapidly get these cures to market in record time. Ennaid Therapeutics is dedicated to creating Therapeutics and Vaccines to Save Lives and money!

Darnisha concluded her presentation with a question and answer session, and Lasondria Hill closed the meeting by thanking Darnisha and the Healthcare Forum participants.

Please join us Wednesday, May 17 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Healthcare Forum for the:
Keynote Presentation: “The FDA Moved My Cheese: Leveraging Quality and Regulatory Resources to Keep the Project On-Track” presented by Melissa Gaynor O’Connor, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs for StimLabs, LLC

Location: Philips Healthcare
PHA Academy
One Deerfield Centre
13560 Morris Road
Alpharetta, GA 30004