BioCryst expects to begin Ebola study in weeks

(Reuters) – BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc said it expects to initiate a study within weeks to test its antiviral in primates for use against Ebola infections The biotechnology company's stock was up about 5.4 percent in premarket trading after it also said it had received an additional $2.4 million in U.S. The World Health Organization has allowed for people infected in the West African epidemic to be given untested drugs, ushering in an opportunity for makers of potential therapies. This $2.4 million National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) funding is in addition to the $22 million contract awarded to BioCryst by the agency last September. The company received $4.1 million from NIAID earlier this month to advance development of an intramuscular formulation of its drug, BCX4430.