Aventis Behring Symposium Demonstrates the Quality and Safety of Plasma-Derived Products.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 2003 Aventis Behring and the Chinese Society of Blood Transfusion blood transfusion, transfer of blood from one person to another, or from one animal to another of the same species. Transfusions are performed to replace a substantial loss of blood and as supportive treatment in certain diseases and blood disorders. Explore Advances in Prion prion (prī`ŏn), infectious agent thought to cause a group of diseases known as prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Science, Focusing on Mad-Cow and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Diseases Aventis Behring L.L.C. sponsors a symposium in Beijing today. Entitled, "Precautionary Measures to Increase the Safety Margins of Plasma-Derived Products," the symposium provides a forum for government, industry and academic leaders to discuss the latest research on quality and safety regarding plasma-derived products. Specifically, participants will focus on prions, the infectious proteins thought to be responsible for mad-cow disease and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), and precautionary and detection measures used in the production of plasma-derived therapies. This event is timely as reports of mad-cow disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy bovine spongiform encephalopathy: see prion. (BSE See Bombay Stock Exchange. BSE See Boston Stock Exchange (BSE). ), in Europe have created concern in China regarding the import of biological products, including plasma-derived products, from countries with any incidence of BSE. Scientific and medical communities in China are now interested in learning more about Aventis Behring's data on the prion removal capacity of its manufacturing processes, and advances in the development of a highly sensitive test for human prions, the conformation con·for·ma·tion n. One of the spatial arrangements of atoms in a molecule that can come about through free rotation of the atoms about a single chemical bond. dependent immunoassay Immunoassay An assay that quantifies antigen or antibody by immunochemical means. The antigen can be a relatively simple substance such as a drug, or a complex one such as a protein or a virus. (CDI CDI compact disc interactive: a system for storing a mix of software, data, audio, and compressed video for interactive use under processor control ). The symposium features presentations on these developments, the latest research regarding prion diseases and blood/plasma safety, and an update and overview on the latest information about BSE and vCJD worldwide. Additionally, presenters explore the importance of polymerase chain reaction polymerase chain reaction (pŏl`ĭmərās') (PCR), laboratory process in which a particular DNA segment from a mixture of DNA chains is rapidly replicated, producing a large, readily analyzed sample of a piece of DNA; the process is (PCR PCR polymerase chain reaction. PCR abbr. polymerase chain reaction Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ) technology that is designed to increase product safety margins, and lead a discussion on the quality and safety of plasma-derived products in China. Speakers include Professor Dr. Rainer Seitz, Head of Department, Haematologie and Transfusion Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany; Dr. Paul Brown, Senior Investigator, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA; and Dr. Ruedi Waeger, Chairman of the Global Board, Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association. "For many years, Aventis Behring has been actively involved in the prion field and was among the first within the plasma product industry to establish an independent scientific advisory committee for this purpose. Working in conjunction with this committee's recommendations, Aventis Behring initiated its own prion research projects, including numerous validation studies on the safety of plasma processing protocols. This work culminated in their recent development of an improved prion protein detection test," said Dr. Brown. "Aventis Behring's sponsorship of this symposium is yet another reflection of the company's continued commitment to furthering communication in the world of prion research." "Although the risk that prions are present in plasma is only theoretical, as an industry leader we believe it is important to share our experience in prion science with our Chinese colleagues. We only hope that our advances in prion research and the quality and safety of plasma-derived products will help to improve this nation's understanding as they look to provide the safest possible plasma-derived products to the people of China," said Dr. Waeger. About the CDI The newly improved CDI is based on the direct CDI, an ELISA ELISA (e-li´sah) Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay; any enzyme immunoassay using an enzyme-labeled immunoreactant and an immunosorbent. ELISA n. (enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay)-formatted, time-resolved fluorescence (TRF TRF thyrotropin releasing factor. ) immunoassay that can differentiate between the pathogenic and non-pathogenic forms of prion proteins as well as detect very low levels of prions in CJD CJD abbr. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease CJD Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, see there or vCJD infected samples. Prion proteins in the sample are "sandwiched" between two antibodies. The first (the capture antibody) secures the prion so that the second (the detection antibody) can effectively mark the prion for purposes of identification. Together, this sandwich effect increases this assay's sensitivity for the detection of human prions. About Prions Prions are infectious proteins that alter their normal protein counterparts into a pathogenic conformation that the body is unable to break down, causing them to accumulate in -- and ultimately destroy -- brain and nerve tissue. However, since no evidence exists to support the presence of prions in or the transmission of vCJD by blood or plasma, the exact biophysical nature of prions in bodily fluids is unknown. Prions are thought to cause neurodegenerative disorders such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease mad cow disease: see prion. mad cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) Fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle. Symptoms include behavioral changes (e.g. . Human prion diseases have also been recognized. Currently, the best understood is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). CJD has been recognized and tracked since the 1920s and the incidence has not changed significantly in that time. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is the human form of mad-cow disease, which experts attribute to the consumption of meat products derived from BSE-infected cows. About Aventis Behring Aventis Behring L.L.C. is a global leader in the plasma protein industry, providing a wide range of innovative, high quality therapies and unique support services to patients worldwide. Aventis Behring is dedicated to the research and development of proteins from human blood plasma and emerging technologies. For more information about the company, visit its website at www.aventisbehring.com. Aventis (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : AVE) is dedicated to treating and preventing disease by discovering and developing innovative prescription drugs and human vaccines. In 2002, Aventis generated sales of EUR EUR In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the Euro. Notes: The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. 17.6 billion, invested EUR3.1 billion in research and development and employed approximately 71,000 people in its core business. Aventis corporate headquarters are in Strasbourg, France. For more information, please visit: www.aventis.com. Statements in this news release containing projections or estimates of revenues, income, earnings per share, capital expenditures, capital structure, or other financial items; plans and objectives relating to future operations, products, or services; future economic performance; or assumptions underlying or relating to any such statements, are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially depending on factors such as the timing and effects of regulatory actions, the results of clinical trials, the company's relative success developing and gaining market acceptance for new products, the outcome of significant litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. , and the effectiveness of patent protection. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties is set forth in the current Annual Report on Form 20-F of Aventis on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in the current Annual Report -"Document de Reference"- on file with the "Commission des Operations de Bourse" in France. |
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