AvidBiotics Is Granted Rights To University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)'s Diversity Generator Platform Technology

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- AvidBiotics Corp announced the receipt of an exclusive, worldwide license to the patent rights associated with UCLA's Diversity Generator technology discovered by Jeffery F. Miller, PhD. and colleagues at UCLA. The technology, based upon natural processes that bacteria and bacteriophages use to generate enormous diversity for survival, has broad potential uses in human therapeutics and diagnostics, veterinary medicine and agriculture, and research tools and reagents.

Professor Jeffery Miller commented, "The discovery and then deployment of natural processes for the improvement of health is one of a scientist's greatest rewards. My colleagues and I are delighted that AvidBiotics is deploying our discovered technology to address the threat of infections by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We look forward to following their progress and development of other applications in the field of protein engineering."

The diversity generating system (DGR) has evolved naturally in certain bacteriophages, bacteria, and spirochetes, and deploys a novel, extremely focused mutagenic process to generate diversity in receptor-ligand ("lock-and-key") interactions without putting at risk the structural integrity of the supporting scaffold of the key. This powerful diversity generator is second only to that of the immunity system for the magnitude of diversity that can be created. In addition, the DGR system as compared to antibody diversity system is far less complex structurally and easier to manipulate.

"This elegant process of generating diversity in nature has many potential applications in the life sciences. We are excited by the opportunity to build on Nature's successes," stated David Martin, CEO of AvidBiotics.

About AvidBiotics

AvidBiotics Corp is a biotherapeutics company with a proprietary technology platform focused on the development of genetically engineered protein products for the treatment of major bacterial diseases, with particular emphasis on antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Founded in 2004, by David Martin, Jr. MD, Jeffery F. Miller, PhD., and James Knighton, on technology discovered by Dr. Miller and colleagues, AvidBiotics has technology that enables customization of protein structures in a precise manner. The core technology has direct applicability to human therapeutics and diagnostics, veterinary medicine and agriculture, and research tools and reagents. AvidBiotics is headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information go to www.avidbiotics.com.

CONTACT: Jim Knighton, +1-650-799-5415, or Dave Martin, +1-415-421-3588,both of AvidBiotics Corp

Web site: http://avidbiotics.com/