MycoLogics, Inc. To Identify Novel Drug for Treatment of Leishmaniasis (Baghdad Boil)
MycoLogics, Inc., an innovative biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel drugs and vaccines for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, today announced the award of a Phase I SBIR grant by the National Institutes of Health to identify a lead drug compound for human clinical trials for the treatment of leishmaniasis.
DENVER, CO (PRWEB) August 20, 2004 -- MycoLogics, Inc., an innovative biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel drugs and vaccines for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, today announced the award of a Phase I SBIR grant by the National Institutes of Health to identify a lead drug compound for human clinical trials for the treatment of leishmaniasis.
Leishmania are parasites vectored by sand flies whose bite yields leishmaniasis. It is estimated that there are approximately 350 million persons, primarily concentrated in the Middle East and Asia, who are at risk to contract leishmaniasis. The diseases annual incidence rate of new cases is roughly 2 million, of which one-quarter is the more destructive visceral form of the disease where organ failure and death occur. Reports of visceral leishmaniasis have now been confirmed present in North America, bringing the current total up to 88 afflicted countries of which 72 are considered developing nations.
Since first exposed in Desert Storm in 1991 and now the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. soldiers have contracted leishmaniasis or what is now commonly referred to as the Baghdad Boil at an alarming rate. During 2003 in excess of 650 servicemen and women became infected by this pathogen with an average cost to treat of $20,000 per patient paid for by American taxpayers. Current leishmania treatment is very expensive and highly toxic with associated severe adverse reactions commonplace. These facts, combined with an increasing parasite resistance to the currently available therapies, make for a critical and immediate need for the treatment and prophylaxis of leishmaniasis.
The awarding of this Phase I SBIR grant by the National Institutes of Health allows MycoLogics to expand its range of therapeutic targets to leishmania. We are very committed to finding novel drugs to treat the diseases that this devastating pathogen causes," said Dr. Claude P. Selitrennikoff, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of MycoLogics, Inc.
About MycoLogics, Inc.
MycoLogics, Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel antifungal drugs and therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines against human fungal and parasitic pathogens, the discovery and isolation of novel antifungal compounds for therapeutic use, and the development of novel high throughput assays that target components of fungal cell walls. MycoLogics, Inc. is headquartered in Aurora, CO at the Fitzsimmons Colorado Bioscience Park. For more information please visit www.mycologics.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Dr. Claude P. Selitrennikoff, Ph.D.
President and CEO
MycoLogics, Inc.
Colorado Bioscience Park
12635 East Montview Blvd., Suite 131
Aurora, CO 80010
Tel: (303) 724-1250
Fax: (303) 724-0861
claude.selitrennikoff@uchsc.edu
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