Intralytix Wins Army Grant To Develop Acinetobacter baumannii (Iraqibacter) Technology
Baltimore, Maryland U.S.A. – September 11, 2009 – Intralytix, Inc. announced today that it has received a U.S. Army Phase I STTR grant supporting the development of a phage-based product for treating wounds infected with Acinetobacter baumannii.
“Infected wounds are one of the most significant challenges in modern medicine – especially in view of the rapid emergence of multiantibiotic-resistant bacteria,” stated Alexander Sulakvelidze, Intralytix’s Vice-President for Research and Development and Chief Scientist. Dr. Sulakvelidze is named the Principal Investigator of the STTR grant. Dr. Sulakvelidze added: “Wounds from high-velocity gunshot, shrapnel and blunt trauma injuries, as well as burns inflicted during combat operations, frequently get infected with bacteria. This complicates their healing, often necessitates repeated surgical interventions, and may lead to amputation of a limb, or even death, of the injured soldier. A. baumannii is one of the major culprits in this regard, and we are pleased to be able to initiate studies using our bacteriophage technology to develop safe and effective tools for managing A. baumannii wound infections.”
"This grant increases the breadth of Intralytix’s portfolio of phage-based products, and it demonstrates the U.S. Army’s confidence in Intralytix’s leadership in developing bacteriophage-based preparations for military and civilian populations,” noted the company's CEO, John Woloszyn. He also stated: "If the studies during our Phase I project are successful – as we fully anticipate – they will provide a strong basis for moving forward with Phase II grant support from the Army, which will play a major role in bringing this exciting technology and product closer to the marketplace. It will also make this much needed approach available where it is most urgently needed, to help civilians and soldiers in various combat zones, including Afghanistan and Iraq. In that regard, a high incidence of A. baumannii infections among our troops in Iraq prompted its nickname “Iraqibacter.”
Mr. Woloszyn also noted that Army grants have previously supported the development of other phage-based products, including phage-based food additives which protect food from E. coli 0157:H7, Salmonella and Shigella.
Intralytix, Inc is a biotechnology company focused on using its core bacteriophage/phage technology platform to improve human health through the development and commercialization of innovative products for food safety and human therapeutics.
For more information, contact Mr. John Woloszyn (410-625-3813) or jwoloszyn@intralytix.com) or Dr. Alexander Sulakvelidze (410-625-2533 or asulakvelidze@intralytix.com).
Intralytix, Inc.
Published on: 2009-09-11
Limited copyright is granted for you to use and/or republish any story on this site for
any legitimate media purpose as long as you reference 7thSpace and any source mentioned in the story above. Please
make sure to read our disclaimer prior to contacting 7thSpace Interactive. To contact our editors, visit our online helpdesk. If you wish submit your own press release, click here.
Social Bookmarking
RETWEET This! | Digg this! | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Furl | Add to Netscape | Add to Yahoo! | Rojo
|
|
