IRVING, Texas, May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CARN today announced its wholly-owned subsidiary, DelSite Biotechnologies, Inc., has obtained a Commercial Evaluation License from NIH (National Institutes of Health) for evaluating a novel polysaccharide technology discovered at NIH for developing a typhoid vaccine with DelSite’s GelSite(R) polymer. DelSite Biotechnologies, Inc. is developing and commercializing GelSite polymer as a controlled release drug delivery technology for protein/peptide therapeutics and vaccine products.
Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. An estimated 16-33 million cases occur worldwide each year. There are 500,000 to 700,000 deaths attributed to typhoid fever annually. Antibiotic-resistant Salmonella typhi has been found in many parts of the world, limiting the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating typhoid fever. Thus, developing new and/or improving the existing vaccines against the Salmonella typhi is urgently needed.
GelSite polymer is a novel high molecular weight ionic polysaccharide currently manufactured under GMP at a kilogram scale by DelSite Biotechnologies, Inc. With the NIH’s technology, GelSite polymer may be chemically modified into a new end product that can be used as the vaccine antigen against Salmonella typhi. The combination of NIH’s technology with GelSite polymer could allow production of the vaccine antigen in a more efficient synthetic manner as compared to the current process involving bacteria fermentation and multiple purification steps. This could significantly increase the antigen production and make the final vaccine product more cost-effective and affordable.
Dr. Yawei Ni, Senior Scientist at DelSite Biotechnologies, stated, “The distinct chemical and physical properties of GelSite polymer make it particularly well suited for this application. The research that has already been conducted at NIH has laid a solid foundation for this project. We are excited at this unique opportunity for combining this technology from NIH with our GelSite polymer and its potential to significantly improve the vaccine production against typhoid fever, an infectious disease of significant public health impact.”
Since the beginning of 2007, DelSite has reached several agreements with companies and institutions for evaluating and developing delivery solutions for vaccines and protein/peptide therapeutics. DelSite’s leading delivery platform, the GelVac(TM) nasal powder vaccine delivery system, is a simple and broad vaccine delivery platform suitable for many different classes of vaccine antigens. GelVac(TM) is currently being evaluated as a delivery system for H5N1 pandemic influenza vaccine and is partially supported by a NIH/NIAID Challenge Grant.
About DelSite
Carrington’s wholly-owned subsidiary DelSite Biotechnologies, Inc., is developing its proprietary GelSite(R) technology designed to provide controlled release of peptide and protein-based drugs and vaccines. DelSite is currently developing a nasal powder vaccine using its GelVac(TM) formula with the H5N1 avian flu antigen. This work is partially funded by two grants from NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) of NIH (National Institute of Health) under the Department of Health and Human Services.
About Carrington
Carrington Laboratories, Inc. is an ISO 9001-certified, research-based, biopharmaceutical and consumer products company currently utilizing naturally-occurring complex carbohydrates to manufacture and market products for mucositis, radiation dermatitis, wound and oral care, as well as to manufacture and market the nutraceutical raw material Manapol(R) and cosmetic raw material Hydrapol(TM). Carrington also manufactures and markets consumer products and manufactures quality products for other companies. Manufacturing operations comply with cGMP standards. Carrington’s DelSite Biotechnologies subsidiary is developing its proprietary GelSite(R) technology designed to provide controlled release of peptide and protein-based drugs. Carrington’s technology is protected by more than 130 patents in 26 countries. Select products carry the CE mark, recognized by more than 20 countries around the world. For more information, visit http://www.carringtonlabs.com.
Certain statements in this release concerning Carrington may be forward-looking. Actual events will be dependent upon a number of factors and risks including, but not limited to: subsequent changes in plans by the Company’s management; delays or problems in formulation, manufacturing, distribution, production and/or launch of new finished products; changes in the regulatory process; changes in market trends; and a number of other factors and risks described from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities & Exchange Commission, including the Form 10-Q, filed May 15, 2007.
Carrington Laboratories, Inc.
CONTACT: Carlton E. Turner, Chief Executive Officer of CarringtonLaboratories, Inc., +1-972-518-1300
Web site: http://www.carringtonlabs.com/
