PLANTATION, Fla., March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Viragen, Inc.
(Amex: VRA) today announced that the Company has entered into an agreement
with privately-held RMR Technologies, LLC in Coral Gables, Florida and the
University of South Florida (Tampa) to obtain rights to a gene delivery
technology to be evaluated in its collaboration with Roslin Institute to
develop avian transgenic technology as an efficient and cost-effective
biomanufacturing platform for the production of human therapeutic protein
drugs. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The agreement provides Viragen with an option to acquire an exclusive
worldwide commercial license to this advanced electroporation technology for
use within the field of avian transgenics. The gene delivery system, based on
a highly developed electrode device, uses a specific combination of pulsed
electric fields to introduce a gene sequence into the chick embryo. The goal
is to introduce a gene encoding a therapeutic protein into the chicken and
thus enable the breeding of generations of chickens that also express this
gene. The project aims to breed flocks of transgenic chickens capable of
producing high volumes of protein-based drugs, such as cancer-fighting
monoclonal antibodies, which would be expressed in the whites of their eggs.
The technology is fully protected by a portfolio of patents and patent
applications.
Viragen's Director of Research (Emeritus), Professor William H. Stimson
discussed the RMR collaboration at Biotech 2004, an industry event hosted by
Florida International University on March 25th. According to Dr. Stimson,
"Electroporation is one of three different gene delivery systems we are
examining so that we may hold a portfolio of techniques that could be capable
of delivering a range of gene constructs designed to express therapeutic
proteins in the egg white of hens. Initial feasibility studies were conducted
at the University of South Florida and the work is being transferred to Roslin
for further evaluation."
"Electroporation" is a term that describes the use of pulsed electric
fields to temporarily open microscopic pores in membranes which allow
molecules to pass from one side of the cell membrane to the other. When the
pulses are properly sequenced, microscopic pores reseal spontaneously and the
treated cells continue to grow and function modified by the materials that
have been introduced into the cells.
RMR's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Richard Heller, stated, "The
electroporation technology developed at RMR differs significantly from
'standard' electroporation techniques in the configuration of the electrode
and the resulting electrical pulse patterns. Therefore, RMR and Viragen have
jointly filed a U.S. patent application covering its use in avian transgenics.
It's a novel and promising application for our technology."
"We are excited by the prospect of our technology being utilized as part
of such an ambitious project to offer a preferable method for
biomanufacturing," stated Mr. Howard Goldman, President of RMR. "Making drugs
in chicken eggs should offer many advantages to traditional production systems
and we will work closely with Viragen, Roslin and the University of South
Florida to move this vision forward."
For more information, please visit our Web site at: http://www.Viragen.com
About Avian Transgenic Technology:
Viragen holds the worldwide exclusive license to commercialize Avian
Transgenic Technology as granted by Roslin Institute (Scotland). The project
is designed to develop the common chicken into a pharmaceutical bioreactor,
one that can meet the growing need for protein-based human therapeutics.
Based on the creation of lines of transgenic hens which have been engineered
to produce the target protein in their eggs, this technology is being
developed as a cost-effective and efficient alternative to standard
biomanufacturing techniques, having many apparent advantages in ease of scale-
up, lower costs of production and quality of product produced. The proportion
of protein drugs, including monoclonal antibodies, under development is
forecast to be expanding rapidly and manufacturing constraints, including lack
of adequate facilities, have been recognized.
About RMR Technologies:
RMR specializes in the development of energy field enhanced molecular
delivery solutions for biotechnology products and is the collective effort of
three University of South Florida scientists, Dr.'s Richard Heller, Richard
Gilbert and Mark Jarosezski. RMR scientists have a proven record for creating
intellectual property and receiving prestigious grants to maximize their
research efforts in the development of cutting-edge electroporation
technology. Collectively, they have 35 issued and pending patents.
About Viragen, Inc.:
Viragen is a biotechnology company specializing in the research,
development and commercialization of natural and recombinant protein-based
drugs designed to treat a broad range of viral and malignant diseases. These
protein-based drugs include natural human alpha interferon, monoclonal
antibodies, peptide drugs and therapeutic vaccines. Viragen's strategy also
includes the development of Avian Transgenic Technology for the large-scale,
cost-effective manufacturing of its portfolio of protein-based drugs, as well
as offering Contract Manufacturing for the biopharmaceutical industry.
Viragen is publicly traded on the American Stock Exchange (VRA).
Viragen's majority-owned subsidiary, Viragen International, Inc., is publicly
traded on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board (VGNI). Viragen's key partners
and licensors include: Roslin Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center, Cancer Research UK, University of Nottingham (U.K.), University of
Miami, America's Blood Centers and the German Red Cross.
Viragen, Inc. Corporate Contact:
Douglas Calder, Director of Communications
Phone: (954) 233-8746
Fax: (954) 233-1414
E-mail: dcalder@viragen.com
The foregoing press announcement contains forward-looking statements that
can be identified by such terminology such as "expect", "potential",
"suggests", "may", "will", "should", "could" or similar expressions. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such statements. In particular, management's expectations regarding future
research, development and/or commercial results could be affected by, among
other things, uncertainties relating to clinical trials and product
development; availability of future financing; unexpected regulatory delays or
government regulation generally; the Company's ability to obtain or maintain
patent and other proprietary intellectual property protection; and competition
in general. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are
made. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to
reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking
statements are made.
SOURCE Viragen, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.viragen.com
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CONTACT:
Douglas Calder, Director of Communications of
Viragen, +1-954-233-8746, or fax, +1-954-233-1414, or e-mail,
dcalder@viragen.com
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