In terms of water-testing, IGEN would be my best guess as a play. Up to now they have been concentrating mainly on "natural" bugs (like cryptosporidium), but I guess they could switch to some of the potential bio-terror stuff as well.
The best resource I know about food and water bugs is the aptly-named "Bad Bug Book" at the FDA:
cfsan.fda.gov
Incidentally, the bioterror plays continue white-hot today, with AVAN up an unbelievable 112% on the following PR:
Wednesday October 10, 8:01 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc.
AVANT Licenses Vaccine Technology to U.S. Department of Defense Contractor, DynPort Vaccine Company LLC
NEEDHAM, Mass., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVAN - news) today announced the signing of a license agreement with DynPort Vaccine Company LLC (``DVC'') for exclusive rights to use certain components of AVANT's vaccine technology. Financial terms of the agreement with DVC include license fees, milestone payments and royalties of an undisclosed amount.
DVC, a private company, is chartered with providing an integrated approach for the advanced development of specific vaccines and other products to protect against the threat of biological warfare agents. In 1997, the U.S. Department of Defense initiated the Joint Vaccine Acquisition Program, which includes a 10-year contract with DVC for the development of vaccines against certain acute infectious diseases and contagious diseases.
``Bioterrorism is a worldwide concern,'' said Michael W. Henry, Vice President, Business Development of AVANT. ``We are pleased to be entering into this relationship with DVC. Effective vaccines are an important medical countermeasure against biological warfare to protect US military forces and others at risk around the world, and we believe that our vaccine technology can contribute significantly to this effort. We see this opportunity as an excellent way to leverage our vaccine technology into another research area that we do not plan to pursue ourselves.''
AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. is engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of products that harness the human immune response to prevent and treat disease. The Company is building its own business franchises in three areas. The first of these is in cardiac surgery where AVANT focuses on compounds with the potential to inhibit inappropriate activation of the complement cascade, a vital part of the body's immune defense system. Secondly, AVANT is developing a portfolio of oral vaccines aimed at protecting people traveling to areas where these diseases are endemic. Thirdly, AVANT is conducting clinical investigations with a proprietary therapeutic vaccine for the management of cholesterol. Additionally, through its corporate collaborations, the Company is developing a variety of infectious disease vaccines, including an oral human rotavirus vaccine.
Note that this could be a trivial contract, but the market doesn't care right now.
Peter |
