• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

CytoDyn Receives Rapidly Updated DNA Flu Vaccine From The University of Massachusetts Medical School

Posted on: Wednesday, 6 June 2007, 09:00 CDT

The laboratory of Dr. Shan Lu at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) has provided CytoDyn, Inc. (Pink Sheets:CYDY) with updated DNA-based H1 and H3 serotype influenza vaccines for the 2007-2008 flu season. Updating of the DNA-based flu vaccines was completed in less than 1.5 months following a recommendation by the World Health Organization. It takes much longer to make an updated flu vaccine using the wild or natural virus, a technique that was developed in the nineteenth century and is still being used by the major vaccine providers.

CytoDyn will use both types of vaccines in clinical trials to evaluate the prime-boost method of vaccination invented by Dr. Lu, who heads the DNA vaccine effort at UMMS. Animal studies suggest that this method of vaccination could provide better protection for those at risk of life-threatening complications from the seasonal flu, such as the elderly and those who suffer from chronic diseases. Meanwhile, CytoDyn has been sponsoring comparative studies of DNA-based vaccines for the bird flu and anticipates results in about six weeks.

Over the past four decades, UMMS researchers have made advances in a broad range of biomedical research, from HIV and infectious diseases, to cancer and genetic disorders, to diabetes and immune disease. UMMS faculty discovered the link between the immune system and type 1 diabetes, developed cancer detection technology, found the genetic cause that underlies the third most common form of the muscular dystrophies, established the fundamental difference between HIV and other retroviruses and co-discovered RNA interference (RNAi), a naturally occurring gene-silencing process that has become a vital tool in research focused on such areas as diabetes, HIV/AIDS and cancer.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts. CytoDyn's management makes forward-looking statements concerning the Company's expected future operations, performance and other developments. These forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such risks and uncertainties, or other factors, will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. It is impossible to identify all factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the Company. They include, but are not limited to, government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, victimization by white-collar offenders, and the effects of adverse publicity, litigation, competition, and other factors that may be identified from time to time in the Company's announcements.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category