SAN DIEGO, Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- NexBio announced today that the company is the recipient of the 4th annual “SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 50" Award for medical treatment. The recipients were selected by the Board of Editors of Scientific American magazine with the help of distinguished outside advisors. NexBio has received this prestigious award for developing Fludase(R) (DAS181)*, a novel broad-spectrum influenza medicine that may prevent and treat annual influenza epidemics, parainfluenza, and defend against the impending avian influenza pandemic. Scientific American magazine defines the “SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 50" Award as an “annual celebration of visionaries from the worlds of research, industry and politics whose recent accomplishments point toward a brighter technological future for everyone.” Since its recent inception, the award’s winners include Genentech, IDEC Pharmaceuticals and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. This year, NexBio is listed in the same category as these leading biopharmaceutical companies that are known for their development of innovative new medicines, highlighting the importance of this new influenza medicine.
Over the past 160 years, editorial contributors to Scientific American have included over 100 Nobel Laureates; among them are Albert Einstein, Francis Crick and Harold Varmus. “The SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 50 is our annual opportunity to salute the people and organizations worldwide whose research, policy or business leadership has played a major role in bringing about the science and technology innovations that are improving the way we live and offer the greatest hope for the future,” said editor-in-chief of Scientific American John Rennie.
NexBio has recently completed a pre-IND (Investigational New Drug Application) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and has begun manufacturing Fludase(R) for pivotal toxicology studies and clinical trials. “We are honored and excited to receive this award with its singular stature in the world of science and technology. We would like to acknowledge the U.S. government’s strong support of NexBio’s research and development programs on influenza for the past two years,” said Fang Fang, M.D., Ph.D., NexBio’s chief scientific/medical officer. “The mounting threat of an imminent influenza pandemic, the unreliable vaccine supplies for recent influenza epidemics, and increasing viral resistance to the limited selection of antiviral drugs have all added urgency to our cause. NexBio will continue to work closely with the NIH, CDC, and FDA to expedite Fludase(R) development. We will pursue “Emergency Use Authorization” (EUA). We are also actively seeking corporate partnerships from companies that have extensive experience in late-stage drug development and commercialization,” added Dr. Fang.
Fludase(R) represents a “First-In-Class” approach to fight influenza, a highly infectious respiratory disease that is the most common cause of medically attended acute respiratory illness. Fludase(R) works by preventing all types and strains of influenza virus from entering the airway epithelial cells, including avian influenza viruses. It aims at providing broad-spectrum protection, improved clinical efficacy, reduced likelihood of drug resistance, and cost-effective delivery suitable for widespread usage. Fludase(R) will not require the annual development of a new generation of products, as with vaccines, to combat new strains of influenza viruses, and can be stockpiled for both annual influenza epidemics and future influenza pandemics.
ABOUT NEXBIO
NexBio, Inc., is a privately held development-stage biopharmaceutical company located in San Diego. NexBio’s mission is to develop novel, broad-spectrum prophylaxis and therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of life-threatening human respiratory infectious diseases in order to save lives and to improve the quality of life.
For more information about NexBio, Inc., please visit http://www.nexbio.com
Contact: Mang Yu, Ph.D., President & CEO NexBio, Inc. 6330 Nancy Ridge Dr., Suite 105 San Diego, CA 92121 E-mail: myu@nexbio.com Phone: (858) 452-2631
* Fludase is a registered trademark for DAS181. FDA has yet to approve the name.
DISCLOSURE NOTICE:
This release contains forward-looking information about the research and development program of NexBio and the potential efficacy of product candidates that might result from programs that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development activities; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding whether and when to permit the clinical investigation of or approve any drug applications that may result from the programs as well as their decisions regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the commercial potential of product candidates that may result from the program; and competitive developments.
NexBio, Inc.
CONTACT: Mang Yu, Ph.D., President & CEO of NexBio, Inc., +1-858-452-2631,myu@nexbio.com
Web site: http://www.nexbio.com/
