Friday March 26, 7:57 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Empyrean Product Proven Effective Against HIV
Virus
Study Links Suppression of Active Growth of HIV Cells To
Benzalkonium Chloride/Octoxynol Formula
PHOENIX--(BW HealthWire)--March 26, 1999--Results of a recent study to determine the effects of a spermicidal gel on
active HIV cells shows the formula, currently marketed under the brand name Preventx®, suppresses the growth of the virus in
a stable human T-cell line.
The study was developed to determine whether the formula could suppress growth of the HIV cell in an in vitro situation in the
laboratory.
According to Dr. Rieder's results, the study ''demonstrated that a new formulation, Sperm-X (now renamed Preventx for U.S.
distribution), is capable of rapidly killing HIV. This agent produces a dramatic decline in the number of viral particles present,
and at low particle concentrations appears to destroy all available virus.''
The results were reported by principal researcher Michael Rieder, M.D., Ph.D. of the Department of Paediatrics and
Pharm/Tox, J.P. Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
Dr. Rieder released the results in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology
and Toxicology last week in San Antonio, Texas. The study was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council of
Canada, the National Health Research Development Program and Paediatric AIDS Canada (PAC).
The formula named in the study was originally developed in Canada, and is now fully owned and licensed for worldwide
distribution by an American company, Empyrean Bioscience Inc., based in Phoenix, as part of a growing line of antimicrobial,
disease-preventing products under the Preventx brand name.
The Preventx products are alcohol free and Triclosan free, and also contain aloe vera, which helps heal minor cuts and
abrasions.
In the controlled study, various dilutions of the formula, in an antiseptic lotion form and as a water-based spermicidal
contraceptive, were introduced into stable human T-cell lines, one of which also contained HIV-infected cells.
Dilutions as low as 1/20 per part for both the spermicidal gel and the hand sanitizer proved to completely retard the growth of
the HIV cells over a 10-day period. The results are considered encouraging as indicators of possible use of the formula as a
protectant against infection by HIV.
Further efforts to determine the usefulness of the benzalkonium chloride/octoxynol formula in human application are planned for
later this year in a Phase III study to be conducted in the United States by the National Institute of Health (NIH).
Empyrean Bioscience Inc. (NASDAQ BB: EMDG - news), a publicly traded healthcare company, began marketing the first
product of the Preventx line nationwide earlier this year under a distribution ICS Integrated Commercialization Solutions (ICS),
a division of Bergen Brunswig Corp. (NYSE: BBC - news).
ICS began distribution in February of the Preventx® Hand Sanitizer and Antiseptic Skin Protectant. The product was designed
specifically to prevent the spread of infectious and microbial contamination in industries including healthcare, food preparation,
city services (police, fire and emergency medical) and hotels.
''We are very encouraged by the results of Dr. Rieder's study,'' said Stephen Hayter, president of Empyrean, ''and look
forward to developing additional validation with human subjects...against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including HIV
through the NIH study.
''We believe that the $4 billion global market for contraceptives will be revolutionized by the eventual introduction of the final
product into the international marketplace,'' he said. ''Dr. Rieder's study validates our internal research and the promise that the
Preventx formula holds as a significant milestone in the global initiative against HIV and other STDs.''
Empyrean Bioscience Inc. was established in 1992. For more information on the company or Preventx, contact Susan Bryan at
602/417-1573 or Byron Burke at 602/440-1785; or go to www.empyreanbio.com to view the company's website.
This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements.
Factors which would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, factors detailed in Securities and
Exchange Commission filings. |
