Hi dan,
Nov 14 Release:
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HELIX BIOPHARMA NEWS RELEASE
TSE & VSE: "HBP"
NOVEMBER 14, 1996
HELIX BioPharma Corp.
215 - 7080 RIVER ROAD
RICHMOND, B.C.
CANADA V6X 1X5
PHONE (604) 270-7468
FAX (604) 270-8208
TOLL FREE 1-800-563-4363
HELIX BIOPHARMA CORP. RECEIVES NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE OF US PATENT FOR
ANTI-INFECTIVE COMPOUNDS TO TREAT ORAL AND VAGINAL YEAST INFECTIONS
Helix BioPharma Corp. is pleased to announce that the US PATENT OFFICE has
issued a Notice of Allowance with respect to the patent applications filed
for the Company's Anti-Infective Compounds. Helix holds the world wide
rights to the Anti-Infective Compounds and the Technology associated with
the Compounds pursuant to a License Agreement made with the Protein
Engineering Network of Centers of Excellence (PENCE) and the University of
Alberta.
As antibiotics are failing with increasing frequency, Helix's Anti-Infective
Compounds can provide an attractive alternative and a novel therapeutic and
preventative approach to the treatment of infectious diseases by, in effect,
blocking or inhibiting the ability of the disease causing organism to bind
to the healthy cells. By way of analogy, the disease causing organism is
"Teflon" coated and as it can not stick, it can not infect healthy cells.
Dr. Donald H. Segal, Helix's Vice President of Pharmaceuticals, has said
that the U.S. Patent, when granted, will "provide a strong proprietary
position from which Helix can begin exploring international markets".
To date, the most promising application for Helix's Anti-Infective Compounds
is against Candida albicans, the organism responsible for oral thrush and
vaginal yeast infections. Treatment for oral and vaginal yeast infections
are estimated by the Company to have a market size in excess if $1.3 billion
world-wide.
Pre-clinical studies for the Anti-Infective Compounds are being planned for
1997, with the first human trials anticipated in 1998.
PENCE, a Canada-wide research organization in protein engineering with
headquarters at the University of Alberta, supported the initial discovery
of the Anti-Infective agents by the University of Alberta research groups in
PENCE. Helix BioPharma Corp. acquired commercial rights to develop
Anti-Infective therapeutics and diagnostics based on these agents. As part
of the ongoing development of these new inventions, Helix BioPharma Corp. is
supporting an innovative discovery research and development program with
PENCE. The objective of the program is to develop further the
Anti-Infective technology, with PENCE researchers providing technical
expertise and access to state-of-the-art technologies and equipment.
Helix BioPharma Corp. is a company which actively develops, licenses,
markets, and distributes quality bio-medical and pharmaceutical products,
technologies, and services domestically and internationally.
Dated at Richmond, B.C. this 14th Day of November, 1996.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Terrance G. Owen, Ph.D., M.B.A., President
The Toronto Stock Exchange and the Vancouver Stock Exchange have not
reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy of the content of
the information contained herein.
Helix BioPharma trades on the TSE and VSE under the symbol "HBP"
For further information, contact:
Jason Van Bergen
Investor Relations
(604) 270-7468
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Jason Van Bergen, Investor Relations, Helix BioPharma Corp.
Telephone: (604) 270-7468, Toll Free: 1-800-563-4363
Fax: (604) 270-8208, Home Phone: (604) 435-7427
E-mail: invrelations@helixbiopharma.ca, OR vanberg@sfu.ca
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dan |
