Pseudomonas Alert

Oragenics to Receive European Patent for Its IVIAT(TM) Biomarker Technology

Link: Oragenics to Receive European Patent for Its IVIAT(TM) Biomarker Technology.

IVIAT(TM) is a unique discovery platform designed to identify genes of pathogenic bacteria that are specifically present when humans have infections. Dr. Robert Zahradnik, Oragenics' President and CEO, stated, "The IVIAT(TM) technology has already proven its ability to identify novel targets for such infectious agents as Vibrio cholerae (cholera), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes infections in persons with compromised immune systems in addition to causing one out of ten hospital acquired infections.

Vaccine Trials Underway

Link: PharmaLive: Intercell Receives Milestone Payment From Merck & Co. Inc Triggered by Initiation of Phase II Clinical Trial of Investigational Vaccine to Prevent S. aureus Infection.

Hospital acquired infections caused by bacteria are one of the major causes of death and serious illness. Intercell has embarked on a large scale, comprehensive and multi-target antigen identification program to contribute to vaccine efforts in this field. Besides Merck�s S. aureus vaccine, based on an antigen identified by Intercell, Intercell is developing a vaccine against hospital acquired infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa - a clinical Phase II/III trial is expected to be initiated in 2008 – and has ongoing preclinical programs for Enterococcus and Klebsiella vaccine discovery.