MABA merican Biogenetic Sciences Negotiates Landmark Anthrax and Smallpox Vaccine
Agreement
MOSCOW and NEW YORK, Nov. 26 /PRNewswire/ --
American Biogenetic Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: MABA)(ABS) has negotiated a
ten-year agreement with the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The
agreement covers human vaccines for anthrax, smallpox, botulism and other
diseases. A second agreement with the Russian Agricultural Academy extends
ABS's rights for livestock vaccines, including one for animal anthrax. The
agreements govern vaccine distribution to specified global territories
including North America, South America, The European Community, and The
Pacific Rim.
"This is a very significant partnership given recent events in the United
States and the imminent and real threat of bio-terrorism," says ABS's Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer, Alfred J. Roach. "This is just one example of
how America and Russia can work together to safeguard the health of people
worldwide, especially those who are most vulnerable to international
bio-terrorism."
In commenting on the agreement, Professor Rem V. Petrov, D.Sc.,
Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences speaking on behalf of his
colleagues, Professor G. Onishenko, Deputy Minister of Health and Professor
G. Romanenko, President and Professor Earnst Lev, Vice-President of the
Agricultural Academy said, "ABS's mission was evaluated at the very highest
level in the Russian Ministry of Health and the Russian Academy of
Agriculture. They are now in a position to respond to the heightened
concern about the recent spate of Anthrax attacks in the U.S. and other
bio-terrorism fears."
Under the terms of the agreements, ABS can immediately make the vaccines
available for evaluation. The smallpox vaccine developed in Russia was used
by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the 1970s during the global
eradication of smallpox.
ABS's Roach says the partnership came about largely as a result of the ABS
Global Scientific Network, an in-house advisory council of scientists and
academics in the U.S., Ireland, Germany, Russia and China, which continues
to work on developing potential products and programs aimed at diagnosing
and treating important diseases such as cardiovascular and neurological
illnesses. "I am pleased that my nearly 15-year relationship with the
Russian scientific community has led to its greatest dividend to date. My
meetings with scientists around the world have given me great faith that we
will find ways to deter and to eliminate both the global threats of
bio-terrorism and of incurable diseases," he notes.
"We've developed superior vaccines in Russia that have proven themselves
highly effective," says Professor Petrov, who is also a member of both ABS's
Advisory Board and Global Scientific Network. "We look forward to working
with ABS to protect the USA and its Allies from these potentially deadly
pathogens," he adds.
American Biogenetic Sciences, Inc. is based in Copiague, NY, and
researches and develops diagnostic tests for cardiopulmonary conditions and
infectious diseases, as well as for new treatments for neurological disorders,
including epilepsy, migraine, mania, and Alzheimer's disease. As an
innovative developer of biogenetic technologies and compounds, ABS to date
has been issued over 75 patents, both US and foreign, and there are over
100 patents pending.
Statements in this release that are not strictly historical are
"forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and should be considered as subject to various
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those anticipated.
For further details and a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, see
ABS's Securities and Exchange Commission filings including its annual report
or 10-K form.
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SOURCE American Biogenetic Sciences, Inc.
-0- 11/26/2001
/CONTACT: Company Contact - Josef C. Schoell, President & COO of American
Biogenetic Sciences, Inc., +1-631-789-2600, jcschoell@mabxa.com; Media - Evan
Ard of Southard Communications, Inc., +1-212-777-2220, evan@southardinc.com,
for American Biogenetic Sciences, Inc.; or Global Scientific Network -
Ellena Byrne, Coordinator, Global Scientific Network, ellenabyrne@iol.ie/
/Web site: mabxa.com /
(MABA)
CO: American Biogenetic Sciences, Inc.
ST: New York, Russia
IN: MTC BIO HEA AGR
SU:
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