FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., November 20, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Tekron, Inc. (OTCBB:TKRN) announces that in light of the current SARS concern in China, Biovirus is proceeding to immediately develop a putative vaccine for SARS using its mathematical (computational genomics) technology platform. It will use either private financing or apply for a grant with the Canadian Federal government.
The following are excerpts from press releases of September 1 and 15, 2003 out of China and Rome:
Chinese Worry about another SARS outbreak
"People think SARS is on the way back, so they're eating at home," said Yi Binglong, 28, who moved to the capital from China's southwest to open Chengdu Snacks. "In September and October, there would be customers through the afternoon. Now they disappear after lunch." Yi isn't the only one on tenterhooks.
"It all feels a bit funny at the moment, just this waiting to see what will happen," said Julie Hall, the SARS team leader at the World Health Organization Beijing office.
When the first known human case of severe acute respiratory syndrome occurred in southern China's Guangdong province a year ago, no one noticed; SARS had never been seen before and had yet to be named. It was only later that researchers tracked down what is believed to be that first victim. By early spring, cases were popping up around the globe, most notably in Hong Kong and Canada, causing mass panic. In all, 774 people died and more than 8,000 were sickened, according to WHO. Mainland China accounted for more than half the cases and deaths but kept its figures secret until April, when the government - under pressure from the international community - vowed to be more open and aggressive. Chinese cities, meanwhile, have started checking travelers for fever again. The port city of Tianjin, east of Beijing, reports any traveler with a temperature above 100 degrees. In Urumqi, in the far west, people with temperatures above 99.5 degrees are not allowed on public buses.
"Scientific knowledge about SARS remains elusive. The disease's origin remains unknown, no cure has been found, and WHO says a vaccine is at least two years away," said Hall.
Biovirus using its proprietary mathematical (computational genomics) technology platform and immunological expertise can build a library of novel, synthetic peptides that could be the key active component(s) of future preventative and therapeutic vaccines for the new and highly contagious variants of the coronavirus that causes SARS. The advantage of this technology is the shortened discovery cycle.
Usually it takes years to develop vaccine prototypes for new or variant viruses. This new technology, which is based on computational genomics, dramatically shortens the cycle allowing the first peptide candidates for a SARS vaccine to be calculated, synthesized and tested in a matter of weeks to months. This can be immediately implemented because the SARS coronavirus genome has been sequenced and published by a Canadian group at UBC and by a second team at CDC. Using these slightly different sequences, a vaccine (a novel peptide(s) construct) can be calculated, made and tested in a matter of months. Researchers believe people may have gotten the virus from animals that were infected by another, still mysterious disease, but it's still unclear how the sickness jumps from animals to people. Raccoon-dogs, ferret badgers and civet cats in southern China have been found harboring a germ almost identical to SARS.
"People feel like they've learned from the last time," Hall said. "But everyone just feels a tiny bit jittery, a bit jumpy. That's the worry: you get one case and all this pent up energy just explodes in panic. We really hope that's not the case."
Origin of SARS virus still obscure - the disease could recur Press release of 1 September 2003, Rome --
There is no evidence that farm animals have been infected. The threat of future SARS outbreaks must be considered real as long as the source of the SARS coronavirus remains obscure, FAO warned in a statement today. "To date there is no evidence that farm animal species have been infected with SARS coronavirus found in humans," according to the FAO director general of the UN agency. The statement was based on a report by Laurie Gleeson, a senior Australian veterinarian, from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization's Australian Animal Health Laboratory, who recently returned from a three-week mission to China under the auspices of the joint FAO/WHO study group on the SARS problem. The purpose of the mission was to review the available laboratory and field data collected from animal (domestic species and wildlife) sources obtained by Chinese investigators during and after the massive spread of SARS virus among the human population. Identifying an animal reservoir would be of great importance for future prevention measures in China or elsewhere if such an association could be made.
The expert recommended strengthening of epidemiological capability through targeted surveillance studies directed to animal populations considered to be at high risk of exposure to SARS virus. This would provide information on the roles played by certain animal species and ensure that they were included in an early warning system to detect renewed viral circulation. The urgent need to develop better diagnostic tests for use in animals and to define the relationship between the SARS virus isolated from humans and the slightly different virus isolated from animals was stressed.
Along with FAO, WHO is currently exploring ways to follow up on Dr. Gleeson's recommendations for planning further studies that target livestock species in high-risk areas and for standardizing and validating laboratory tests for SARS virus in animals, to further the scientific knowledge of SARS coronavirus.
From the quoted press releases, several realities emerge. There is no reliable diagnostic for the SARS coronavirus. There is no treatment currently available and there is a grave concern that the SARS virus or a variant is going to emerge again in southern China or Beijing. Lastly, the origin of the coronavirus remains obscur. It is possible that a diagnostic kit could be developed and deployed by BioVirus using its shortened discovery cycle technology platform. Contrary to the beliefs of WHO, which state two years before a vaccine could be developed, Biovirus could provide a putative peptide vaccine for the SARS coronavirus within a month or two. The advantage of this synthetic peptide construct is that there is no attenuated virus or its nucleic acid used in the vaccine and therefore no chance of incidental infection or harmful side effects.
Mr. Luigi Brun will be travelling to China in an effort to generate interest and procure a contract to provide such a rapidly deployed vaccine.
About Biovirus:
BioVirus Research Corporation is a privately held biopharmaceutical corporation that uses bioinformatics (computational genomics), functional genomics (gene function) and immunology for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of herpes virus infections and their associated diseases. The company has used its proprietary bioinformatic platform to build a library of novel anti-herpetic peptide constructs that are the active components of several preventative and therapeutic vaccines.
Biovirus over the past 10 years has developed and patented the research discoveries of Dr. Daniel Golubev, renowned Russian virologist and former chair of the Department of Virology at Leningrad State University. Dr. Golubev, while in Russia, discovered the persistence of Influenza A virus, developed its vaccine, discovered a correlation between the herpetic virus genomes and DNA of atherosclerotic plaques and produced along with Alex Chaihorsky, President and CEO of Biovirus, a novel patented peptide vaccine towards Herpes Simplex type I and II. Biovirus developed a novel, mathematical approach in developing peptide vaccines that are non-viral, synthetic and polyvalent. Among other possibilities this approach can be used for extremely rapid development of multiple vaccine candidates. The estimated market for this product is approximately $300 million per annum.
About Tekron:
Tekron Inc. is a holding company acquiring interests in high technology, medical and environmental biotechnology companies. This information contains certain forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company that are based on the beliefs of the Company or management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company or management. When used in this document, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" and "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current view of the Company regarding future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties noted. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or intended. In each instance, forward-looking information should be considered in light of the accompanying meaningful cautionary statements herein.