Syntiron announced today that it was notified of a pending contract from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to adapt Syntiron’s licensed, patented vaccine technology to combat three major bioterrorism agents; Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, and Burkholderia pseudomallei. The amount of the contract is $3.8 million dollars.
Bacillus anthracis: A non-contagious, potentially fatal disease, commonly referred to as anthrax, caused by breathing, eating, or absorbing through cuts in the skin, the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. ----------------------------------------------------------- Yersinia pestis: A Gram-negative bacterium, of the genus Yersinia. Yersinia pestis is the etiological agent of plague. ----------------------------------------------------------- Burkholderia pseudomallei: This is the causative agent of melioidosis. These bacteria are spread to humans and animals through direct contact with contaminated water and soil. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) considers Burkholderia pseudomallei to be a potential biological warfare and biological terrorism agent. Even with treatment, the mortality of this disease is 20 to 50%. -----------------------------------------------------------
Syntiron’s patented SRP(R) technology is already in extensive commercial use by its veterinary partner, Epitopix, situated in Willmar, Minnesota. These vaccines have proven safe and effective against a variety of animal bacterial infections, and are in widespread use in cattle and poultry. (Syntiron holds an exclusive license for the human application of the SRP technology from Willmar Poultry Corporation and their subsidiary Epitopix.)
Syntiron is the recipient of a number of grants from the National Institutes of Health for the development of vaccines to prevent infections by Yersinia, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus bacteria (including MRSA).
“We are pleased to have the opportunity to develop vaccines that will increase the safety of our troops and has the potential to protect the general population,” said Joseph Shaw, Syntiron’s CEO. “This award will expand and accelerate our program of adapting the Epitopix technology to human vaccines and demonstrates synergy between veterinary and human biotech co-operation in the State of Minnesota. This award is just a precursor of the potential of our vaccines to prevent disease in not only against bioterrorism agents, but also preventing devastating bacterial infections in both the developed and developing worlds, in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance and the increasing spread of diseases.”
“We would like to express our appreciation to Congresswoman Betty McCollum for her assistance in helping us secure this contract, and to our senior scientists, Dr. Drew Catron and Dr. Lisa Herron-Olson, who will be spearheading this important program.”
Disclaimer
This press release includes forward-looking information and statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic and market conditions in the geographic areas and industries that are or will be major markets for Syntiron’s vaccines. Although Syntiron believes that its expectations and the information in this press release were based upon reasonable assumptions at the time when they were made, it can give no assurance that those expectations will be achieved or that the actual results will be as stated in this press release. Syntiron undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or statements in the press release.
About Syntiron
Syntiron LLC is a vaccine development company situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In 2004, Epitopix LLC, in conjunction with Willmar Poultry Corporation, incorporated Syntiron to adapt the Epitopix SRP(R) technology from animal to human vaccines. This unique, patented, and innovative technology is being modified to antibacterial vaccines for multiple human infections such as MRSA (caused by Staphylococcus aureus), typhoid fever, food poisoning (caused by Salmonella spp.), bioterrorism agents, nosocomial (hospital-acquired infections), and other bacterial diseases.
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