News - Advanced Biotherapy Responds to Emergence of HIV Drug Resistance Emphasizing Its Clinical Research of an Immune Based Approach to Treating HIV
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Feb 16, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Advanced Biotherapy,
Inc. (OTCBB: ADVB), dedicated to pioneering the development and use of
therapeutic antibodies, responds to breaking news regarding a recently
discovered new resistant strain of the HIV virus that was detected in New York
City, as reported by CBS affiliate WCBS-TV New York on February 11, 2005 --
"Health officials warn that a rare strain of the HIV virus has reached New York
City - New Strain Does Not Respond To Common Treatments." According to the
city's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden, the patient who contracted this
virus was determined to be resistant to 19 of the 20 FDA approved
anti-retroviral drugs.
Edmond Buccellato, CEO of Advanced Biotherapy, states, "HIV's usual course of
progression to the development of AIDS is known to normally take several years,
often upwards of 10 years. In the case of this newly discovered strain, 3 months
after HIV diagnosis, the individual had progressed to AIDS. Experts caution that
the spread of this deadly strain may have been expedited by the rapid disease
progression and greater infectivity of this particular strain. With the
increasing incidence of multi-class drug resistance, it is our opinion that our
approach to controlling HIV infection by augmenting the immune system responses
will be successful."
Dr. Bellanti, the principal investigator of the Georgetown FDA-approved phase I
clinical trial, states, "The greatest challenge faced by HIV-treating clinicians
has been the management of virologic failure and metabolic complications of
anti-HIV treatment. The recent emergence of this highly drug-resistant HIV
strain not only highlights this challenge but also stresses the need to seek new
alternative treatment measures. Our study is directed to determine the clinical
effectiveness of inhibiting Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in
HIV-infected subjects who have received prior antiretroviral treatment with
standard therapy and who have failed to respond. We have begun the study and
hope to report encouraging results in the near future."
While normal production of the key TNF-alpha cytokine helps the immune system
fight disease, its overproduction has the contrary effect of promoting not only
greater viral replication in AIDS patients, but also a number of mental and
physical disorders associated with immune system breakdown. A complex cellular
relationship referred to as the cytokine "network" or "cascade" is responsible
for helping the immune system communicate and direct responses against viruses,
bacteria, fungi and tumors. HIV appears to disrupt the normal balance of this
network. Restoring the functioning of this network may improve the ability of a
patient's immune system to fight the AIDS virus.
About Advanced Biotherapy
The Company has demonstrated the effectiveness of its pioneering scientific
strategy in the use of therapeutic antibodies by conducting investigational
clinical trials treating patients suffering from AIDS, multiple sclerosis,
rheumatoid arthritis, corneal transplant rejection, uveitis and certain
autoimmune skin conditions, including psoriasis, and alopecia, all Th1 mediated
autoimmune diseases which appear to have the same proinflammatory Th-1 activity.
Advanced Biotherapy is headquartered in Los Angeles with laboratories in
Columbia, Maryland. The company has an extensive patent portfolio including 6
issued patents and over 38 patents pending.
Statements made in this news release, other than statements of historical fact,
are forward-looking statements and are subject to a number of uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or
other expectations expressed in our forward-looking statements. Some of these
forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words in the
statements such as "hope," "appears," "may," "goal," "anticipate," "estimate,"
"expect," "project," "intend," "planning or plans," "believe," "could," or other
words and terms of similar meaning. The risks and uncertainties which may affect
the development, operations and results of our business include, but are not
limited to the following: risks associated with clinical trials, the
uncertainties of research and product development programs, the uncertainties of
the regulatory approval process, the risks of competitive products, the risks of
our current capital resources, the uncertainties as to the availability of
future capital and our future capital requirements, and the risks associated
with the extent and breadth of the Company's patent portfolio. There are no
assurances that the Company's product candidates will receive regulatory
approval. The foregoing discussion of the pending clinical investigations and
the effect of the patents issued and pending involves risks and uncertainties,
including but not limited to the risks that third parties may be successful in
challenging such patents; or that granted claims may be held invalid or
interpreted differently by a court of law; or that new technologies will be
developed that are superior in treating the diseases targeted by Advanced
Biotherapy, Inc. Readers are cautioned not to place reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were
made. See the Company's public filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission for further information about risks and uncertainties that may affect
the Company and the results or expectations expressed in our forward-looking
statements, including the section captioned "Factors That May Affect The
Company" contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2003.
SOURCE: Advanced Biotherapy, Inc.
CONTACT: Advanced Biotherapy, Inc., Woodland Hills, Calif.
Edmond Buccellato, 818-883-671
Fax: 818-883-3353
ed@advancedbiotherapy.com
www.advancedbiotherapy.com
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