Antex Discovers New Antibiotic Target; Adds to Platform of Proprietary Antibiotic Screening Assays
GAITHERSBURG, Md., March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- AntexBiologics (OTC Bulletin Board: ANTX) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Antex Pharma Inc., in collaboration with the Hospital for Sick Children ("HSC") Toronto, Canada, has discovered a novel drug target for treatment of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The drug target represents a new approach to the creation of an entirely new class of antibiotics.
The novel protein was first discovered in 1995 by Dr. Clifford Lingwood at HSC in Haemophilus influenzae. In 1997, he reported in the Journal of Biological Chemistry that this protein was involved in zinc transport mechanisms of the bacteria. This was the first identification of a specific zinc transporter in bacteria. Since that time other laboratories have reported on the presence of zinc binding proteins in many other gram negative bacteria as well as gram positive bacteria, particularly those that cause nosocomial infections such as Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus. These organisms have developed increasing resistance to current antibiotics.
Antex scientists, while evaluating this protein as a potential vaccine candidate, discovered that this protein is specific to bacteria and not present in animals or humans. Moreover, the Company validated that this protein is required for the survival of the bacteria in a host animal. Therefore, Antex believes that this protein is useful as a target for discovering new small molecule antibiotics that will inhibit its activity and kill bacteria.
Because this proprietary protein is a metabolic protein, not involved in DNA or cell wall synthesis, this novel drug target should identify new small molecules to overcome the problems of antibiotic resistance faced by many of the currently marketed drugs. Antex holds all rights to this protein through a license agreement with HSC.
Dr. Vic Esposito, President and CEO of Antex stated, "We are pleased to add this novel drug target to our platform of methods to identify new antibiotics. Assays for drugs that modify the target are being created in preparation for high-throughput screening. This is Antex's second novel screening target. Together with Antex's novel ex vivo whole cell screening technology using our patented NST-bacteria, this gives us the potential to improve on current treatments for antibiotic resistant infections."
Antex scientists have shown that the NST-bacteria that are used in the ex vivo whole cell screening assays have an antibiotic sensitivity more closely related to in vivo conditions than conventionally grown bacteria. Further, because these are whole organisms, these assays identify new chemical entities ("NCEs") capable of entering the bacteria. AntexPharma has a portfolio of novel and classical screening methodologies that should enhance the identification of new classes of antibacterials and antibiotics.
AntexPharma's mission is aimed at developing novel therapeutic alternatives to address the unmet clinical needs of antibiotic resistance and newly emerging diseases. The Company is seeking strategic collaborations to further the development of its new targets, to discover and develop NCEs and to screen other chemical libraries using its platform of novel screening assays.
Antex Biologics is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and marketing new products to prevent and treat infections and related diseases. The Company has three vaccine products in clinical development and has strategic alliances with SmithKline Beecham, Aventis Pasteur, Pfizer and the U.S. Department of Defense. The Company's common stock is quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol ANTX.
Statements contained herein that are not historical facts regarding the identification of new antibiotics may be forward-looking statements that are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the Company. Such factors are fully described in the Company's Form 10-KSB filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and include, but are not limited to: (i) the Company's ability to successfully complete product research and development, including preclinical and clinical studies and commercialization; (ii) the Company's ability to obtain required governmental approvals; (iii) the Company's ability to attract and/or maintain manufacturing, sales, distribution and marketing partners; and (iv) the Company's ability to develop and commercialize its products before its competitors.
SOURCE Antex Biologics Inc.
CO: Antex Biologics Inc.; Antex Pharma Inc.; Hospital for Sick Children
ST: Maryland, Toronto
IN: BIO
SU:
03/22/2000 10:14 EST prnewswire.com |
