MSCRAMM Protein Antibodies Effective in Providing Protection Against Systemic Staphylococcal Infection.Health/Medical Writers CHICAGO--(BW HealthWire)--Dec. 18, 2001 Today at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (print-ISSN 0066-4804, CODEN AMACCQ; canceled ISSN 0074-9923, canceled CODEN AACHAX) is an academic journal published by the American Society for Microbiology. (ICAAC ICAAC Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ICAAC Iowa Community College Athletic Conference ) in Chicago, Illinois, Inhibitex, Inc. presented in vivo data supporting the efficacy of INH-A21 in the prevention of Coagulase-negative staphylococcal (S. epidermidis) infections in experimental endocarditis endocarditis (ĕn'dōkärdī`tĭs), bacterial or fungal infection of the endocardium (inner lining of the heart) that can be either acute or subacute. . INH-A21, Inhibitex's lead antibody-based (IgG) product, reduced the incidence of infectious endocarditis by 60% compared to control. In addition to the dramatic reduction in the incidence of endocarditis, animals treated with INH-A21 contained significantly lower levels of bacteria in the blood, heart tissue, and kidneys compared to a commercially available IgG product. The company has received orphan designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), n.pr a unit of the Public Health Service created to protect the health of the nation against impure and unsafe foods, drugs, and cosmetics. (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. ) for the use of INH-A21 to prevent nosocomial nosocomial /noso·co·mi·al/ (nos?o-ko´me-il) pertaining to or originating in a hospital. nos·o·co·mi·al adj. 1. Of or relating to a hospital. 2. bacteremia caused by staphylococci in extremely low and very low birth weight infants (infants born weighing less than 1,500 grams). Inhibitex recently announced that it has entered into a long-term manufacturing agreement with Nabi for the production of INH-A21. Arnold S. Bayer, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Adult Infectious Disease specialist at the UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX School of Medicine, and principal investigator of the laboratory that conducted the above referenced in vivo experimental study stated that these data "are exciting, and further support the evaluation of this product in clinical trials." "These data are extremely encouraging since they provide independent third party verification, in a clinically relevant infectious disease model, of INH-A21's efficacy" said Joseph M. Patti, Ph.D., CSO and Vice President of Pre-Clinical Development. "To be responsive to the need for this product in neonatal intensive care units, we intend to initiate clinical trials in Q2, 2002", stated Juan Walterspiel, M.D., FAAP, Vice-President of Clinical Affairs. Inhibitex, Inc., located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing "first in field" antibody-based products for the treatment and prevention of bacterial and fungal infections. The Company is developing a pipeline of products based on its proprietary MSCRAMM MSCRAMM Microbial Surface Components Recognizing Adhesive Matrix Molecules (TM) protein technology platform. This technology is based on a family of surface proteins found on pathogenic organisms that allow them to attach to tissue and initiate an infection. The Company has additional products approaching the clinic and in pre-clinical development based on this platform. |
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