MycoLogics, Inc. Focuses on the Isolation of New Classes of Compounds for Treatment of Human Fungal Disease
MycoLogics, Inc. today announced award of a Phase I SBIR grant by the Department of Health and Human Services to isolate a new class of compounds to treat human fungal disease by disrupting beta(1,6)-glucan synthesis. The beta(1,6)-glucan polymer is an essential component for fungal growth, it is found in fungi not in humans and, therefore is an excellent target for the development of antifungal drugs.
DENVER, CO (PRWEB) March 1, 2004--MycoLogics, Inc., an innovative
biotechnology company specializing in the development of therapeutic and
prophylactic vaccines against human fungal and parasitic pathogens, today
announced award of a Phase I SBIR grant by the Department of Health and Human
Services to isolate a new class of compounds to treat human fungal disease by
disrupting beta(1,6)-glucan synthesis. The beta(1,6)-glucan polymer is an
essential component for fungal growth, it is found in fungi not in humans and,
therefore is an excellent target for the development of antifungal drugs.
Fungi cause a wide spectrum of disease; most common examples are
relatively minor, localized infections such as athlete’s foot. However, an
ominously increasing number of fungi cause systemic disease with the involvement
of internal organs. These serious and life-threatening problems are difficult to
diagnose and even more challenging to treat in patients with impaired
immune-defense mechanisms. Current treatments for fungal infections are limited
to very few therapeutic options. Unfortunately, most options are toxic to humans
causing severe adverse effects and those successful approaches to treatment in
the past are experiencing a rapid increase in clinical resistance.
There
are an estimated 200,000 immunocompromised patients per year undergoing cancer
chemotherapy, organ transplantation and AIDS treatments who contract nosocomial
or secondary fungal pathogenic infections. MycoLogics, Inc. is committed to
filling the critical and immediate need for new antifungals with mechanisms of
action different from currently available drugs.
“The search for novel
antifungal compounds has been hindered by the lack of validated drug targets. We
have focused our efforts on the discovery of novel steps in the synthesis of the
fungal cell wall, a process unique to fungi. This award will allow us to
identify new chemical entities that specifically inhibit the synthesis of
beta(1,6)-glucan, a cell wall polymer that is essential for fungal cell growth,”
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 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
e-mail protected from
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/2/prweb107632.htm