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To: Due Diligence who wrote (110)	10/20/1999 11:17:00 AM
From: Due Diligence	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2080

ANTX news: (COMTEX) B: ANTEX DISCOVERS NOVEL DRUG TARGET FOR IDENTIFYING NEW ANT B: ANTEX DISCOVERS NOVEL DRUG TARGET FOR IDENTIFYING NEW ANTIBIOTICS Gaithersburg, Md., Oct 20, 1999 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Antex Biologics announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Antex Pharma Inc., has discovered a novel drug target to screen for new antibiotics. Antex Pharma's mission is aimed at developing novel therapeutic alternatives to address the unmet clinical needs of antibiotic resistance and newly emerging diseases. Antex scientists discovered a novel protein using the Company's innovative ART(TM) and NST(TM) platform technologies. Antex validated that this protein is a virulence factor and is specific to bacteria. Therefore, the Company believes that chemicals that inhibit the activity of this protein target should kill the bacteria, making this protein a useful enzymatic target for identifying new antibiotics. The Company has several patents pending that cover this novel protein and its uses. Moreover, since this proprietary protein is a metabolic protein, not involved with DNA or cell wall synthesis, this novel drug target could be used to identify new classes of drugs that would overcome the problems of antibiotic resistance faced by many of the currently marketed drugs. Additionally, since this protein is not present in animals or humans, it provides a bacteria-specific target. Dr. Vic Esposito, President and CEO of Antex stated, "This new target not only gives Antex an alternative screening methodology to evaluate novel compounds synthesized by our chemists, but also provides the opportunity to screen existing chemical libraries. More importantly, we hope that this technology will provide the opportunity for Antex Pharma to forge strategic alliances for the development of small molecule therapeutics to thwart antibiotic resistant bacteria." Antex's NST technology involves the reproduction in the laboratory of important natural conditions found in the body that are required for bacteria to grow and cause infection (virulence). Unlike ordinary laboratory cultures, bacteria grown with NST using physiologically logical signals have induced phenotypic expression of important virulence factors similar to those seen in bacteria isolated from infected hosts. These enhanced virulence factors include elevated levels of adhesins, invasins, enzymes and other cellular components. Specifically up-regulated virulence factors identified in NST- grown bacteria thus far include Type III protein translocation system substrates, flagellin expression, glycosylation of bacterial proteins, hemolysin and capsular polysaccharide production, and lipopolysaccharide structure. ART technology involves the identification and interaction of host cell receptors and corresponding microbial surface proteins, or adhesins, that allow bacteria to attach to and invade the host thereby causing disease. Through the identification of unique receptors and adhesins, Antex has developed a number of vaccines against bacterial infections. Additionally, ART technology presents the opportunity to identify novel microbial targets to design and develop new anti-infective therapies for diseases that have unmet clinical needs. This genomics approach to bacterial therapy provides a strategy to address the increasing resistance of bacteria to currently available antibiotics. "Using NST technology, Antex can make bacteria that essentially look and act more like those bacteria infecting sick people than bacteria grown under typical laboratory conditions. Antex Pharma's scientists use these NST- bacteria in a whole cell screening assay and have shown that these NST- bacteria have a more closely related in-vivo sensitivity to antibiotics than ordinary lab-grown bacteria. In addition, using both the NST and ART technologies, we have identified this novel target and several other potential new targets to develop new classes of compounds to fight serious bacterial infections," said Dr. Larry Ellingsworth, Vice President, Research and Development, of Antex Biologics. Antex Biologics is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and marketing new products to prevent and treat infections and related diseases. The Company has three vaccine products in clinical development and has strategic alliances with SmithKline Beecham, Pasteur Merieux Connaught, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Pfizer, Inc. The Company's common stock is quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol ANTX. Statements contained herein that are not historical facts may be forward- looking statements that are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the Company. Such factors are fully described in the Company's Form 10-KSB filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and include, but are not limited to: (i) the Company's ability to fund its future operations; (ii) the Company's ability to successfully complete product research and development, including preclinical and clinical studies and commercialization; (iii) the Company's ability to obtain required governmental approvals; (iv) the Company's ability to attract and/or maintain manufacturing, sales, distribution and marketing partners; and (v) the Company's ability to develop and commercialize its products before its competitors. SOURCE Antex Biologics (C) 1999 PR Newswire. All rights reserved. prnewswire.com -0- CONTACT: Theresa M. Stevens of Antex Biologics, 301-590-0129; or Tom Norton, 202-955-6222, for Antex Biologics WEB PAGE: antexbiologics.com GEOGRAPHY: Maryland INDUSTRY CODE: MTC HEA * end of story *