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Collaboration with Colorado State University
Will Focus on Immunotherapeutic Development for Tularemia
Juvaris BioTherapeutics, Inc. announced today award of a two year, $1 million Phase I SBIR grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant in collaboration with Dr. Catharine Bosio at Colorado State University (CSU) involves the development of prophylactic and therapeutic approach for the treatment of Francisella tularensis (Tularemia), a category A Biodefense priority pathogen. Juvaris' novel and potent immunostimulant technology will be tested by Dr. Bosio in rodent models using the highly virulent F. tularensis Schu4 bacterial strain. The feasibility of the novel approach is supported by preclinical data generated by Juvaris and Dr. Bosio demonstrating significant protection in a rodent Tularemia infection model "This is a milestone event for Juvaris BioTherapeutics since it represents our entry into the important area of Biodefense," said Martin D. Cleary, Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Juvaris. "The technologies developed and tested during the execution of the product development plan will be applicable not only to the treatment of Tularemia, but will be applicable to a number of other infectious agents that are current public health problems," stated Mr. Cleary. F. tularensis is an intracellular bacterium capable of infecting and causing lethal disease within 5 days following onset of symptoms. Due to the low number of organisms required to cause infection and the rapidity with which disease ensues, inhalational F. tularensis infection is a significant Biodefense concern. Therefore, it is critical to the national defense effort to develop new strategies, which will prevent establishment of lung infection immediately following exposure as well as the dissemination and replication of F. tularensis in other organs within the first 24 hours of infection. About Juvaris Juvaris BioTherapeutics was created in 2003 to develop an immunotherapeutic product platform for the treatment of infectious diseases and cancers using lipid-DNA complexes. Cationic lipids are formulated with non-coding DNA (plasmid) to create the JuvImmune Immunostimulant, a lipid-DNA complex, which as a single product will have utility in multiple infectious disease and cancer and applications. The JuvImmune product has been shown to be at least 50-times more potent at triggering innate immune activation and interferon release than current immune stimulants. When combined with disease-specific antigens, the technology creates JuvaVax vaccines capable of activating substantial antibody- and cell-mediated immune responses, particularly induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Immunological responses elicited by the lipid-DNA complexes have been successfully demonstrated in both prophylactic and therapeutic settings in a variety of mammals including rodents, rabbits, cats, dogs and non-human primates. Moreover, substantial immune responses have been induced following oral and intranasal administration. This platform provides the opportunity to develop many disease-specific immunotherapy products, for which there are significant unmet medical needs. In January 2006, the Company announced the award of a two-year Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the NIH for the development of an influenza A virus vaccine and in March 2006, the Company announced the award of an 18-month Small Business Innovation Research-Advanced Technology (SBIR-AT) grant from NIAID for the development of an HIV vaccine. The Company encourages investment and partnering inquiries, including this project, and can be reached at its website @ www.juvaris.com. Company Contact: |