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Melbourne, 11 July 2013: Australian infectious disease therapy and vaccine development company BioDiem Ltd (ASX: BDM) has announced that it has completed a year-long partnership agreement with Griffith University to expand the range of variants of BioDiem’s broad spectrum antimicrobial compound, BDM-I.
BioDiem CEO Julie Phillips said the successful work at Griffith University has lead to the creation of enhanced versions of BDM-I which have been designed to be more soluble, while retaining the activity against disease-causing microorganisms, therefore increasing the possible commercial applications of the drug.
“This is valuable work that has been completed, and we are delighted that Griffith University undertook the research. We have an array of projects underway to assess the broad spectrum activity of our novel antimicrobial BDM-I against serious infectious diseases, and these findings have the potential to expand the pharmaceutical applications and thus commercial opportunities,” Ms Phillips said.
Increased solubility of BDM-I can enhance the potential for the antimicrobial to be delivered via a wider variety of administration routes such as injections, creams/ointments/gels, topical sprays, eye drops, inhalation and more. This would allow BDM-I treatment to target more diseases in different parts of the body.
The research was lead by Professor Mark von Itzstein, Director of Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics, who was previously awarded for his work in the design and synthesis of the anti-influenza drug Relenza® which was licenced to GSK by Biota.
“Through the application of our expertise in carbohydrate chemistry and drug design, we have designed and synthesised a suite of new compounds with a view to improving the solubility of BDM-I,” Professor von Itzstein said.
“Here at the Institute for Glycomics, we are very focused on translating our discovery science and know-how into real health benefits for the community. Assisting Australian companies like BioDiem progress their drug development efforts very clearly meets that objective.”
About BioDiem Ltd
BioDiem (ASX: BDM) is an ASX-listed biopharmaceutical company developing vaccines and antimicrobials targeting treatment and prevention of infectious diseases and related cancers. The lead technology is the LAIV (Live Attenuated Influenza Virus) used for seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines and is given intranasally. A therapeutic hepatitis vaccine project targeting hepatitis D and B is underway at the University of Canberra. BioDiem’s antimicrobial, BDM-I, is in preclinical development for fungal and bacterial diseases, also schistosomiasis, tuberculosis and protozoal infections. The SAVINE (scrambled antigen) technology is in development for tuberculosis and also EBV-related disease including nasopharyngeal cancer. BioDiem’s retinal product, BDM-E, in development for retinitis pigmentosa is available for outlicence.
About BDM-I
BDM-I is a synthetic compound targeting the treatment of serious human infections. BDM-I is in the preclinical stage with outlicensing as the intended outcome. BDM-I is active against a range of pathogenic micro-organisms including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, fungi and protozoa. Key patents have been granted in Europe, Japan and the US around BDM-I’s antimicrobial activity, including activity against Plasmodium falciparum, responsible for causing the most commonly severe form of malaria, and Trichomonas vaginalis, the protozoan responsible for causing a common sexually transmitted disease named trichomoniasis.
BioDiem’s research is ongoing in partnerships with internationally recognised laboratories and commercial groups.
For additional information, please visit www.biodiem.com
About Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics
Based at Griffith University’s Gold Coast Campus, research at the Institute for Glycomics involves the study of the carbohydrates and carbohydrate-recognising proteins in various biological systems, and the design of novel drugs and vaccines to treat or prevent clinically important diseases. This approach presents an exciting therapeutic platform for the control of a wide-range of medical conditions such as a variety of cancers, infectious diseases, inflammation and immune disorders. The Institute is the only one of its kind in Australia and only one of six in the world.
For more information visit http://www.griffith.edu.au/science-aviation/institute-glycomics
Contact
Investors
Julie Phillips, Chief Executive Officer
BioDiem Ltd
Phone +61 3 9613 4100
Email jphillips@biodiem.com
Media
Shevaun Cooper
Buchan Consulting
Phone +61 3 8866 1218 / +61 (0) 421 760 775
Email scooper@buchanwe.com.au
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