AmpliPhi Signs Global R&D Agreement with US Army to Develop Bacteriophage Therapies to Treat Resistant Bacterial Infections
AmpliPhi press release link here.
AmpliPhi Signs Global R&D Agreement with US Army to Develop Bacteriophage Therapies to Treat Resistant Bacterial Infections
RICHMOND, VA, US, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, London UK, July 1, 2013 – AmpliPhi BioSciences Corporation (OTC: APHB) (“AmpliPhi”), the leader in the discovery and development of bacteriophage-based therapies to treat drug resistant bacterial infections, announced today a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR).
The CRADA will focus on developing and commercializing bacteriophage therapeutics to treat Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a serious threat to public health and military personnel and is a major problem in hospitals and clinics around the world. The initial indication will be wounds and skin infections from S aureus, which is the leading pathogen in healthcare-associated infections in the United States as a whole, accounting for 30.4% of surgical site infections.
AmpliPhi will retain global regulatory ownership and commercial rights to all products developed as a result of the agreement. USAMRMC will gain access rights to any products developed. WRAIR will be responsible for cGMP production of the lead Staphylococcus product, AmpliPhage-002 for Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials at its Bioproduction Facility. Further details of the agreement including financial terms were not disclosed.
Philip J. Young, CEO of AmpliPhi, said: “This collaboration is a significant partnership for our company. It combines AmpliPhi’s expertise in the discovery and development of bacteriophage-based therapies with the US Army’s scientific and clinical research for the development of phage therapies for treatment of bacterial infections. It will serve to expedite the development, testing and approval of new treatment modalities. Working together I believe we will be able to improve the care of patients with these serious, often life threatening, infections.”
Dr Kenneth A. Bertram, Principle Assistant for Acquisition at USAMRMC, said: “Multidrug resistant bacterial infections are a significant challenge for US military, as they are for the rest of the world. The Army has had a long standing interest in the potential of innovative therapies to address this challenge. This bacteriophage collaboration is an important step in the battle to find much needed alternative therapies to treat these infections.”
If initial development activities are successful, the scope of the collaboration could expand to research and develop bacteriophage therapies against other diseases of mutual interest.
About AmpliPhi BioSciences
AmpliPhi BioSciences Corporation [OTCBB:APHB] is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel bacteriophage-based therapeutics for human and animal applications. The Company’s product development programs are targeting Gram-negative infections that are often resistant to existing antibiotic treatments. AmpliPhi was created in 2011 through the merger of BioControl Ltd with Targeted Genetics Inc. and subsequent combination with Special Phage Services in 2012. The Company is US-headquartered in Richmond, Virginia and has operations in Colworth, UK and Sydney, Australia. For more information, visit www.ampliphibio.com
About Bacteriophages
Bacteriophages are naturally occurring viruses that are highly specific for the bacterial hosts they infect. They can rapidly kill their host, amplifying themselves in the process. Bacteriophages are unaffected by antibiotic resistance and are able to disrupt bacterial biofilms. Such biofilms are a major line of defence for bacteria, contributing to antibiotic resistance. Bacteriophages are able to penetrate biofilms and replicate locally to high levels, to produce strong local therapeutic effects.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release about the potential use of bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections and the development of bacteriophage-based therapies are forward looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties, including without limitation the risk that such therapies may not be successfully developed, will require extensive and expensive pre-clinical and clinical testing, may not be safe or efficacious, and may not be approved for marketing by the United States Food and Drug Administration or any foreign regulatory agency.
For more information regarding AmpliPhi contact:
Corporate Contact:
Phil Young
CEO
+1 650-888-2422
pjy@ampliphibio.com
Investor Relations:
Tim Ryan
The Shoreham Group LLC
+1 212 242 7777
tryan@shorehamgroupllc.com
Media Enquiries – College Hill Life Sciences
ampliphi@collegehill.com
Gemma Howe / Stefanie Bacher – UK
+44 20 7457 2020
Sue Charles – Managing Partner – Global
+44 (0)7968 726585 (UK)
+61 (0)466 924218 (AUS)
+1 347 448 3210 (USA)
Dr Douglas Pretsell – AUS
+61 (0)466 925 966