BOZEMAN, Mont., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals announced
today that they have been awarded a $4.6M challenge grant from the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) for the preclinical advancement of their unique,
intranasal vaccine against anthrax.
"Securing this level of a competitive NIH award validates our anthrax
vaccine approach and allows us to quickly move forward in our preclinical
development," said Dr. Charles Richardson, LigoCyte's Senior VP of Research
and Development. "This funding demonstrates the value of our ongoing
Department of Defense (DOD) appropriations in the early development of novel
biodefense vaccines."
LigoCyte's vaccine programs, aimed against potential agents of biowarfare,
continue to be funded by the DOD through appropriations supported by Senator
Conrad Burns (R-MT).
LigoCyte also has a history of successfully competing for peer-reviewed
NIH grants. "Our NIH grant funding, in addition to the DOD contracts, totals
over $35M in non-dilutive funds for our drug development programs. These
grants and contracts have allowed us to hit critical program milestones and
build the infrastructure to take those programs forward into the clinic," said
Dr. Robert Goodwin, LigoCyte's Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer.
LigoCyte's intranasal anthrax vaccine is a dual-antigen vaccine that
protects against both the anthrax toxin and the infectious disease process.
The dry powder formulation offers the potential for long-term stability and
has been shown to provide protection in rabbits from exposure to inhaled
anthrax. Early results also show the potential for the vaccine to offer
protection after only a single dose, a vast improvement over the six-dose
vaccine regimen currently licensed by the FDA. LigoCyte's dry powder,
intranasal approach is also being applied to other vaccines, including
LigoCyte's Norovirus program in which the company plans to protect against
viral gastroenteritis. Norovirus outbreaks (also known as the "stomach flu"
or "cruise ship disease") are a critical problem in nursing homes and
hospitals, as well as military installations worldwide.
About LigoCyte
LigoCyte, established in 1998, has committed its expertise in mucosal
immunology to the discovery and development of therapeutic drugs and vaccines
for the prevention of inflammatory and infectious diseases. LigoCyte's world-
class scientists and leading-edge technologies are focused on the clinical
development of lead candidates to establish strategic relationships within the
pharmaceutical industry. For additional information on LigoCyte, please visit
http://www.ligocyte.com.
The referenced work is supported by the U.S. Army Medical Research and
Materiel Command Contract No. DAMD17-01-C-0040. The views, opinions and/or
findings are those of LigoCyte and should not be construed as an official
Department of the Army position. In conducting research using animals, the
investigator(s) adhered to "Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals,"
prepared by the Committee on Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the
Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Research Council (NIH
Publication No. 86-23, Revised 1985). In conducting work involving the use of
recombinant DNA the investigator(s) adhered to Guidelines for Research
Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules; Notice, Federal Register, July 5, 1994,
Volume 59, Number 127.
SOURCE LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals
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Related links:
http://www.ligocyte.com
CONTACT:
Karen Sipes of LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals,
+1-406-556-9228
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