CONCORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 2005--Cerus Corporation
(Nasdaq:CERS) and the University of New Mexico (UNM) today announced
the funding of a consortium designed to develop a prophylactic vaccine
against Francisella tularensis, the bacterium that causes the disease
Tularemia. Francisella is a potential bioterror agent against which no
effective vaccine exists. The consortium, led by Dr. Rick Lyons, M.D.
Ph.D. of UNM, will focus on developing a Tularemia vaccine based on
Cerus' proprietary KBMA vaccine technology. The $23 million research and development contract, of which Cerus
will receive $2.8 million over three years, is funded by the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of
the National Institutes of Health. Other members of the consortium
include Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Arizona State
University, and the University of Texas, San Antonio. KBMA vaccines consist of killed, but metabolically active
bacteria. They offer the potential to combine the efficacy of live
vaccines with the safety of killed vaccines. KBMA technology can be
applied whenever a metabolically active, but non-replicating
microorganism is a safer alternative to a conventional live vaccine,
such as in biodefense applications. While Francisella has been a
priority agent for biodefense vaccine developers, there is limited
data regarding the molecular determinants against which a vaccine
should be targeted. The KBMA technology permits vaccine development
based on the whole microorganism, thereby obviating the difficult
problem of defining the relevant target antigens. "The funds for this research will be important in developing
strategies that are not only applicable to a vaccine for Francisella
but will also assist in defining a paradigm for developing vaccines
against other emerging infections," according to Dr. Lyons, Director
of the Center for Infectious Diseases and Immunity at the University
of New Mexico Health Science Center. "Emerging infections are
recognized as a significant medical issue and innovative approaches to
vaccine development are required. We are extremely excited about the
opportunity provided to us by NIAID." "The three-year $2.8 million for Tularemia research allows us to
further explore commercial applicability of our KBMA vaccine
technology," said Claes Glassell, president and chief executive
officer of Cerus. "Together with ongoing research being conducted
under an NIH grant to develop a more potent vaccine against anthrax,
we are now building critical mass in our infectious disease programs." Tularemia, also known as Rabbit Fever, is a disease caused by the
bacterium Francisella. Tularemia is typically carried by rodents and
rabbits. People can become infected through the bite of insects which
harbor the bacterium, by handling sick animals, by eating or drinking
contaminated food, or by inhaling airborne bacteria. There is
increasing awareness that Francisella could be deliberately released
in an act of bioterrorism or war. The development of a vaccine against
Tularemia has been limited by a lack of information regarding the
mechanisms required to protect against this disease. About Cerus Cerus Corporation is developing novel products for cancer,
infectious disease and blood safety based on multiple, innovative
technology platforms. The company is building a pipeline of next
generation cancer immunotherapies by combining its proprietary
attenuated Listeria vector platform with promising disease antigens.
These products are designed to stimulate innate and T cell immune
pathways, generating highly potent anti-tumor responses. The company's
KBMA vaccine technology has potential broad applications against
multiple pathogens. Cerus is applying its Helinx technology to develop
the INTERCEPT Blood System, which is designed to enhance the safety of
blood components through pathogen inactivation. The company's strategy
is to leverage the broad potential of its technologies and products
through alliances. Cerus' partners to date include MedImmune and Johns
Hopkins University for cancer immunotherapy, and Baxter International
and BioOne for the INTERCEPT Blood System. About the University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico School of Medicine provides added
value to health care through leadership in providing innovative,
collaborative education; advancing frontiers of science through
research critical to human health; delivering health care services
that are at the forefront; and facilitating partnerships with public
and private biomedical and health enterprises. The Center for
Infectious Diseases and Immunity (CIDI) is one of four signature
research programs at the UNM School of Medicine. The mission of the
CIDI is to develop and enhance collaborative programs among the
community of researchers, physicians and businesses in New Mexico in
order to address the threats of infectious diseases to the New Mexico
population and the world by developing new vaccines, therapeutics and
diagnostics. Statements in this news release regarding potential efficacy and
safety of products, product development and commercial potential are
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Actual results could differ materially from the above forward-looking
statements as a result of certain factors, including the risks and
uncertainties inherent in developing biotechnology products based on
new technologies, the timing and results of clinical trials and other
development activities, market acceptance of Cerus Corporation's
products, actions by regulatory authorities at any stage of the
development process, the availability of governmental or third party
reimbursement for the use of Cerus Corporation's products, the size of
the market for the company's products, competitive conditions,
manufacturing capabilities, and other factors discussed in the
company's Form 10-K/A for fiscal 2004, as well as in other reports
filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking
statements.
CONTACT: Cerus Corporation
Ruey-Li Hwang, 925-288-6017
or
University of New Mexico
Angela Heisel, 505-272-3651
SOURCE: Cerus Corporation
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