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Biotech / Medical : Bioterrorism -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Glenn Petersen who wrote (176)	10/10/2001 9:46:49 AM
From: scaram(o)uche	Respond to of 891

Worried about terrorism, the nation's water system operators want $5 billion from Congress to protect drinking water and wastewater plants. Another reason why "trickle" lab equipment companies are legitimate bioterror plays, ones with staying power. Public health agencies everywhere are going to scramble.

To: Glenn Petersen who wrote (176)	10/10/2001 9:47:23 AM
From: Biomaven	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 891

In terms of water-testing, IGEN would be my best guess as a play. Up to now they have been concentrating mainly on "natural" bugs (like cryptosporidium), but I guess they could switch to some of the potential bio-terror stuff as well. The best resource I know about food and water bugs is the aptly-named "Bad Bug Book" at the FDA: cfsan.fda.gov Incidentally, the bioterror plays continue white-hot today, with AVAN up an unbelievable 112% on the following PR: Wednesday October 10, 8:01 am Eastern Time Press Release SOURCE: AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. AVANT Licenses Vaccine Technology to U.S. Department of Defense Contractor, DynPort Vaccine Company LLC NEEDHAM, Mass., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVAN - news) today announced the signing of a license agreement with DynPort Vaccine Company LLC (``DVC'') for exclusive rights to use certain components of AVANT's vaccine technology. Financial terms of the agreement with DVC include license fees, milestone payments and royalties of an undisclosed amount. DVC, a private company, is chartered with providing an integrated approach for the advanced development of specific vaccines and other products to protect against the threat of biological warfare agents. In 1997, the U.S. Department of Defense initiated the Joint Vaccine Acquisition Program, which includes a 10-year contract with DVC for the development of vaccines against certain acute infectious diseases and contagious diseases. ``Bioterrorism is a worldwide concern,'' said Michael W. Henry, Vice President, Business Development of AVANT. ``We are pleased to be entering into this relationship with DVC. Effective vaccines are an important medical countermeasure against biological warfare to protect US military forces and others at risk around the world, and we believe that our vaccine technology can contribute significantly to this effort. We see this opportunity as an excellent way to leverage our vaccine technology into another research area that we do not plan to pursue ourselves.'' AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. is engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of products that harness the human immune response to prevent and treat disease. The Company is building its own business franchises in three areas. The first of these is in cardiac surgery where AVANT focuses on compounds with the potential to inhibit inappropriate activation of the complement cascade, a vital part of the body's immune defense system. Secondly, AVANT is developing a portfolio of oral vaccines aimed at protecting people traveling to areas where these diseases are endemic. Thirdly, AVANT is conducting clinical investigations with a proprietary therapeutic vaccine for the management of cholesterol. Additionally, through its corporate collaborations, the Company is developing a variety of infectious disease vaccines, including an oral human rotavirus vaccine. Note that this could be a trivial contract, but the market doesn't care right now. Peter

To: Glenn Petersen who wrote (176)	10/10/2001 6:53:16 PM
From: Ben Wa	Respond to of 891

I too, am concerned about the water supply. My congressional representative, a Democrat, has put forth a bill in Congress that would create educational classes for fish and mollusks, with the goal in mind of teaching them not to pee or defecate in our waterways, lakes, streams, what have you. A study at UC Berkley, with results replicated at Columbia showed statistically significant results in training through simple behavioural reinforcement, the ability for fish and mollusks to learn and more importantly, to want - to pee and defecate in specially designated areas. In my opinion, the realization of these extraordinary scholarly results will significantly improve the well being of all humankind.