Sussex Research Introduces Unique Sialic Acid-like Pseudaminic Acid Products for Research into Infectious Diseases

OTTAWA, June 25 /PRNewswire/ - Sussex Research, a leader in advanced glycosylation chemistry and carbohydrate synthesis, today announced that it now manufactures the rare bacterial saccharide, Pseudaminic Acid, along with its nucleotide activated form, CMP-Pseudaminic Acid. These unique saccharides are currently available commercially to researchers worldwide.

Pseudaminic Acid (Pse) (5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-L-glycero-(alpha)-L-manno-nonulosonic acid) is a sialic acid-like, nine-carbon saccharide that was first identified in the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 1984. The sugar modification has since been observed in several other organisms including the gastrointestinal pathogens Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni. The Pse saccharides are thought to influence pathogenesis through bacterial adhesion, invasion, and immune evasion. Pseudaminic Acid has been found in Gram-negative bacterial cell-surface glycoconjugates, such as LPS, capsular polysaccharide, pili and flagella, all of which are important for pathogenesis.

Pseudaminic Acid is unique to bacteria. Many of the bacteria with which Pse has been identified, such as H. Pylori, are associated with serious gastrointestinal diseases that afflict millions of people worldwide. Because of this, its biosynthetic pathway offers potential as a novel therapeutic target and for future small molecule inhibitor screening and design.

"As a carbohydrate synthesis specialist, the Sussex mandate is to help researchers explore and exploit glycobiology. By making Pseudaminic Acid and its derivative available commercially, Sussex will help advance studies on bacteria that contain this modification," said Dr. Brady Clark, President of Sussex Research. "Research with these products may eventually lead to alternative treatments for those suffering from infectious diseases where Pseudaminic Acid plays a role in their pathogenesis. We are delighted to make these important sugars available to researchers."

About Sussex Research:

Sussex Research excels in the design, development and manufacture of novel molecules that incorporate glycotechnology. Sussex carbohydrate-based products and services enable researchers to explore and exploit glycobiology via facile introduction of carbohydrate recognition elements in biological molecules such as glycopeptides. The Sussex portfolio of advanced glycosylation products and carbohydrate building blocks enables assembly of oligosaccharides, glycoconjugates and carbohydrate-enhanced molecules. Sussex expertise and custom carbohydrate manufacturing capabilities advance external collaborations in drug discovery, therapeutic development and vaccine design. Sussex Research is the resource for glycosylation and carbohydrate synthesis. For more information, please visit www.sussex-research.com.

CONTACT: Sussex Research, Brady Clark, Ph.D., (613) 993-4402, Fax: (613)949-5993, bclark@sussex-research.com, www.sussex-research.com