AVI BioPharma Announces Presentation on Antiviral Antisense Program.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers TIDES(R) 2003 Oligonucleotide and Peptide Technology Conference PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2003 AVI BioPharma, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVII) (Nasdaq:AVIIW) (Nasdaq:AVIIZ) today announced that Patrick L. Iversen, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and development, will speak at the TIDES(R) 2003 Oligonucleotide and Peptide Technology Conference today. Dr. Iversen will present at a Special Late-Breaking Science Report session called "Rapid Response for Treating Bioterrorism Virus, SARS and West Nile Infections." The session takes place at 5:30 p.m. PDT PDT abbr. Pacific Daylight Time PDT Pacific Daylight Time PDT n abbr (US) (= Pacific Daylight Time) → hora de verano del Pacífico PDT Tuesday, April 29, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. AVI's antiviral research program has produced antisense drugs active in preclinical testing against West Nile virus West Nile virus, microorganism and the infection resulting from it, which typically produces no symptoms or a flulike condition. The virus is a flavivirus and is related to a number of viruses that cause encephalitis. , feline calicivirus, hepatitis C virus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is the first emergent and highly transmissible viral disease to appear during the twenty-first century. (SARS). Earlier this week, AVI announced the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID NIAID National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. ) will soon receive and begin laboratory testing of this compound. Due to their simple genetic structure, single-stranded RNA viruses have proven to be attractive targets for NEUGENE antisense drugs. Antisense drugs are snippets of the genetic sequence of a disease-causing organism that recognize, lock onto and block replication of the organism. AVI's previous experience with similar viruses provides a template for a possible therapeutic approach to SARS. AVI's proprietary NEUGENE antisense chemistry allows the company to rapidly respond to emerging infectious diseases, such as SARS. Using its NEUGENE antisense drugs, AVI can move from initial target identification to clinical programs quickly, particularly in response to single-stranded RNA viruses. TIDES(R) 2003 includes IBC's seventh International Oligonucleotide Technology Conference and the sixth International Peptide Technology Conference. Additional information on the conference can be located at http://www.lifesciencesinfo.com/tides/. About AVI BioPharma AVI BioPharma develops therapeutic products for the treatment of life-threatening diseases using two technology platforms: NEUGENE antisense drugs and cancer immunotherapy. Its lead cancer agent, AVICINE(R), a therapeutic cancer vaccine, has completed three Phase II trials in colorectal and pancreatic cancer and is initiating a Phase III pivotal trial in pancreatic cancer, with a supporting study in colorectal cancer. The first application of its NEUGENE compounds, Resten-NG(TM), is designed to treat cancer, cardiovascular restenosis and other cell proliferation disorders by inhibiting the production of a cellular transcription factor, the oncogene oncogene Gene that can cause cancer. It is a sequence of DNA that has been altered or mutated from its original form, the proto-oncogene (see mutation). Proto-oncogenes promote the specialization and division of normal cells. c-myc. It is currently in Phase II trials for restenosis and in a Phase Ib trial for cancer. AVI has completed three Phase I NEUGENE antisense studies that successfully down-regulated the liver enzyme cytochrome P-450 and modified drug metabolism, and a Phase Ib trial in polycystic kidney disease Polycystic Kidney Disease Definition Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most common of all life-threatening human genetic disorders. . More information about AVI is available on the Company's Web site at http://www.avibio.com/. "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995: The statements that are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the results of research and development efforts, the results of preclinical and clinical testing, the effect of regulation by the FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. and other agencies, the impact of competitive products, product development, commercialization and technological difficulties, and other risks detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. |
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