December 1, 2008
WEST HAVEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NanoViricides, Inc. (OTC BB: NNVC.OB) (the "Company"), announced today that they have executed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP). This joint R&D effort will enable AFIP scientists to test the effectiveness of several NanoViricides, Inc. anti-viral nanomedicines against deadly bird flu viruses (H5N1) at their facilities.
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“We are very excited to study the effectiveness of nanoviricides against the most current strains of H5N1 in animal models,” said lead AFIP scientist Dr. Mina Izadjoo.
The H5N1 bird flu virus continues to spread further across the globe every year, while continuing to mutate. The accumulating mutations make a human pandemic ever more likely. Because the virus is continually changing its genomic structure, creating a vaccine against it is very difficult. It has been predicted that six to nine months will be needed to produce an effective vaccine in the case of a pandemic. Broad-spectrum antivirals that continue to be effective in the face of the mutations in the virus strain will therefore be essential for any effective response to a pandemic. [For a concise up-to-date summary, please visit “CIDRAP>> Avian Influenza (Bird Flu): Implications for Human Disease” (http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/biofacts/avflu_human.html).]
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The Company is developing anti-influenza drugs under the brand names FluCide™, and FluCide-HP™. FluCide is a broad-spectrum nanoviricide that mimics sialic acid, and therefore no influenza viruses (including bird flu) can escape it, no matter how much they mutate, say the Company scientists. FluCide-HP is expected to be more effective against all highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses than is FluCide, according to the Company’s proprietary data. Any of the HPAI viruses may cause a potential pandemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The most prevalent current HPAI virus is H5N1.
About AFIP
The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) (www.afip.org) is a tri-service agency of the Department of Defense specializing in pathology consultation, education and research.
The information contained in this press release does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government and no official endorsement should be inferred.
About NanoViricides:
NanoViricides, Inc. (www.nanoviricides.com) is a development stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for viral therapy. The Company's novel nanoviricide™ class of drug candidates are designed to specifically attack enveloped virus particles and to dismantle them. The Company is developing drugs against a number of viral diseases including H5N1 bird flu, seasonal influenza, HIV, hepatitis C, rabies, dengue fever, Ebola, and viral Epidemic Kerato-Conjunctivitis (EKC) among others.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectation regarding future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially and substantially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by NanoViricides, Inc. are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements of the company to be different from those expressed or implied including the success of the Company's research and development efforts, the availability of adequate financing, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies and the uncertainties related to the regulatory process, described in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” section of the Company’s Form 10-K and other reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
NanoViricides, Inc.
Amanda Schuon, 310-550-7200
info@nanoviricides.com
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