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SAN DIEGO — Xenerex Biosciences, a unit of Avanir Pharmaceuticals, expects to receive $75,000 from a consortium to help develop a treatment for anthrax toxins. 

In a press release Wednesday, Xenerex said the award was granted by the Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology, a Defense Department-funded partnership that includes government agencies and San Diego universities. 

Xenerex Biosciences aims to use its proprietary platform technology, which is capable of generating human antibodies to multiple targets, to identify antibodies to anthrax toxins. 

A resulting product, Xenerex said, could neutralize anthrax toxins as a stand-alone therapy or in conjunction with vaccines and antibiotics. 

Since fall, there have been 18 cases of anthrax-laced letters sent through the postal system, including 11 cases of the more serious inhalation type. All told, five people died. 

Drug-discovery concern Avanir had revenue of $6.9 million for the six months ended March 31. Its biggest product is cold-core treatment Abreva, which is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline PLC.