BUFFALO, NY--(Marketwire - July 20, 2010) - Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBLI) today announced that a groundbreaking discovery regarding potential antiviral applications for the Company’s Curaxin family of molecules was pre-published online in the Journal of Virology, the world’s leading peer-reviewed journal in the field of virology (Gasparian, Neznanov, et al., Journal of Virology, doi:10.1128/JVI.02569-09; July 14, 2010).
The published study, conducted by Cleveland BioLabs scientists in cooperation with investigators from Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Cleveland State University, examined the ability of the Company’s prototype Curaxin (CBLC102, or quinacrine) and other similar compounds to inhibit a mechanism used by picornaviruses to synthesize their proteins that is essential for their viability. This group of viruses includes important human pathogens such as poliovirus. In particular, Curaxins’ specific interaction with double-stranded RNA effectively blocks synthesis of viral, but not cellular proteins. This study provides proof of principle for prospective extension of Curaxins’ applications from anticancer to antiviral applications.
Cleveland BioLabs Chief Scientific Officer and contributing author, Andrei Gudkov, Ph.D., D. Sci., commented, “We are very excited by the prospect of further expanding our research and development program, which has already resulted in development of Curaxins as novel anticancer agents, towards anti-infective applications. While this publication described antiviral properties of the Curaxin prototype molecule, quinacrine, we have significantly more potent compounds with a similar mechanism of action. This finding highlights the uniqueness and depth of our understanding of the mechanism of action of this class of proprietary agents.”
Michael Fonstein, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland BioLabs, commented: “The Global Antivirals Market 2010-2025 report states that in 2009, the world market for antiviral drugs attained total sales of over $28 billion. With hundreds of millions of people worldwide suffering from chronic or acute viral infections, there is enormous need for antiviral drugs.”
The Journal of Virology publication may be found online at: http://jvi.asm.org
About Cleveland BioLabs, Inc.
Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. is a drug discovery and development company leveraging its proprietary discoveries around programmed cell death to develop treatments for cancer and protection of normal tissues from exposure to radiation and other stresses. The Company has strategic partnerships with the Cleveland Clinic, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, ChemBridge Corporation and the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute. To learn more about Cleveland BioLabs, Inc., please visit the company’s website at http://www.cbiolabs.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations, as of the date of this press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Some of the factors that could cause future results to materially differ from the recent results or those projected in forward-looking statements include the “Risk Factors” described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2009.
Contact:
Rachel Levine
Director Corporate Development & Communications
Cleveland BioLabs, Inc.
T: (646) 284-9439
E: rlevine@cbiolabs.com
