"Product R," Advanced Viral Research Corp.'s Non-Toxic Peptide Nucleic Acid, Inhibits Growth of Adenovirus
YONKERS, N.Y.--(BW HealthWire)--Sept. 11, 2000--
Findings Presented at Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases
Society of America Demonstrate a Direct Anti-Viral Effect on Cause of
Conjunctivitis and Respiratory Illness
Advanced Viral Research Corp. (OTCBB:ADVR) today announced that scientists from The Advanced Viral Research Institute have discovered that the company's flagship drug, "Product R," inhibits the growth of adenovirus in cell culture. Adenovirus infections cause epidemic conjunctivitis ("pink eye"), upper and lower respiratory illness and gastroenteritis. There currently is no approved, non-toxic therapy for adenoviral infections.
Advanced Viral Research scientists, led by Drs. Wenlin Huang, Jin Zhang, Qingping Jiang, Yuanen Ji, John Fisher and Shalom Z. Hirschman, presented their findings at the 38th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) in New Orleans, LA. An abstract of the findings has been published in the July issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases (Vol. 31, page 320).
"The discovery by our scientists of Product R's potential impact on adenoviral infection demonstrates the rich chemistry and pharmacology of Product R," said Shalom Z. Hirschman, MD, president and CEO of Advanced Viral Research Corp. "Our research shows that Product R has a direct anti-viral effect against adenovirus. In cell culture systems, Product R inhibits adenovirus replication and viral EIA protein expression. These new findings provide the scientific rationale for our efforts to develop an ophthalmic formulation of Product R for the potential treatment of `pink eye.'"
Dr. Hirschman continued, "In addition, these findings hold promise for the large number of patients infected by adenoviruses every year and who are afflicted with conjunctivitis and respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses. Moreover, these findings provide hope for patients with compromised immune systems who may suffer with more severe adenoviral infections such as diffuse pneumonias."
Advanced Viral Research Corp. is developing Product R as a broad-spectrum, non-toxic anti-viral drug. In both clinical and laboratory studies, Product R has also shown promise for the treatment of viral infections such as AIDS and human papilloma virus (HPV), and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
Advanced Viral Research Corp. laboratory studies have shown that Product R inhibits the production of both the CCR5 and CXCR4 chemokine receptors, the key cellular co-receptors for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Shalom Z. Hirschman, M.D., joined Advanced Viral Research Corp. as president and CEO following a 28-year affiliation with The Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and The Mt. Sinai Hospital. He spent seven years at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD; he has been published in many peer-reviewed journals, including THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, NATURE and SCIENCE, and founded one of New York City's first and most active AIDS treatment and research centers. ABOUT ADVANCED VIRAL RESEARCH CORP.
Advanced Viral Research Corp., based in Yonkers, New York, is a biopharmaceutical firm committed to researching, developing and bringing to market new, effective therapies for viral and other diseases, which will lead to the alleviation of human suffering and diseases worldwide. Its flagship drug, Product R, is a non-toxic peptide nucleic acid immunomodulator, with direct anti-viral effects against select viruses such as adenovirus and human papilloma virus, that has been shown to have beneficial therapeutic effects against viral diseases such as AIDS and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
Note: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks associated with clinical development, regulatory approvals, including application to the FDA, product commercialization and other risks described from time to time in the SEC reports filed by ADVR. Product R is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any comparable agencies of any other countries.
CONTACT: Mike Rosen
Bratskeir & Company
212-679-2233
mrosen@bratskeir.com |
