LOS ANGELES, June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (NASDAQ: ENOB) – Enochian BioSciences, Inc., a company focused on gene-modified cellular and immune therapies in infectious diseases and cancer, today announced that the company has acquired an exclusive license for an innovative technology to potentially treat and prevent all variants of coronavirus, including the cause of COVID-19, as well as influenza. A request for a Pre-Investigator New Drug meeting for the COVID-19 treatment will be submitted to the FDA in the near term.
The novel approach, developed by Dr. Serhat Gumrukçu, tricks the viruses to trigger the cells it infects to commit suicide instead of becoming a virus-making factory. The technology is delivered by a nanoparticle, allowing it to either rapidly treat an infection or to wait in ambush for a cell to become infected to prevent (prophylaxis, similar to taking drugs to protect from becoming infected with malaria or HIV) future infections. Because target cells of the viruses live up to 20 months in human airways, it is possible that a single inhalation could both rapidly treat and protect against infection for relatively long periods of time. The part of the virus that is tricked is similar in all variants of SARS-CoV-2 as well as other coronaviruses that cause disease in humans, including approximately 20 percent of common colds. In addition, all pandemic influenza viruses since 1918 have a similar region as that targeted by this technology.
Dr. Mark Dybul, a prominent expert in HIV and Executive Vice Chairperson of the Board of Enochian BioSciences, said, “The current COVID-19 variants are concerning. With the slow rollout of vaccines globally, there is a high risk of new mutations that will entirely escape the effectiveness of current vaccines. In addition, there are no currently available treatments that are easy to use and treat all variants. This novel technology potentially offers hope to help stop this pandemic as well as to prevent future coronavirus and influenza pandemics.”
Dr. Gumrukçu is a co-founder and inventor of Enochian BioSciences, and Director of Seraph Research Institute (SRI). He previously presented the initial SARS-CoV-2 findings at two prestigious scientific conferences. In March 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 data was presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic infections, and in 2020, the influenza data was presented at the Conference of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. Presentations can be found at: https://www.enochianbio.com/investors-media/events-and-presentations/.
About Enochian BioSciences, Inc.
Enochian BioSciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to identifying, developing, manufacturing, and commercializing gene-modified cell therapy. The company’s gene-modified cell therapy platform can be applied to multiple indications, including HIV/AIDS and Oncology. For more information, please visit Enochianbio.com
About Seraph Research Institute (SRI)
Seraph Research Institute is a Los Angeles-based non-profit research institution, which runs basic science, translational and clinical research in pursuit of cures and effective treatments for chronic viral infections, cancers, and genetic disorders. For more information, please visit Seraphinstitute.org
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the success or efficacy of our pipeline. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “plans,” “expects,” “aims,” “intends,” “potential,” or similar expressions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in any of such statements due to various uncertainties, including as set forth in Enochian BioSciences’ most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Enochian BioSciences undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.