DiaMedica Announces an Evaluation Agreement With the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Against a Bioweap
April 11 2011 - 4:47PM
Marketwired
DiaMedica (TSX VENTURE: DMA) is pleased to announce the company's
entry into an evaluation agreement with the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a component of the U.S.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), to further evaluate its
monoclonal antibody (mAb), in a pre-clinical model, for the
treatment of tularemia, a serious infectious disease caused by the
Francisella tularensis bacteria. F. tularensis is classified as a
Class A bioweapon due to being highly infectious when in aerosol
form. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) examined the total
base cost to society of a tularemia airborne attack to be $5.4
billion for every 100,000 exposed. F. tularensis is ranked as one
of the pathogens most likely to be used as a biological warfare or
bioterrorism agent and there is currently no effective treatment
(Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 57 (2005) 1403- 1414).
"The Company has previously described that the mAb inhibits a
key host protein, glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3B).
Inhibition of GSK3B has previously been shown to suppress the
lethal inflammatory response to Francisella infection and protects
against tularemia in rats. If DiaMedica's mAb leads to GSK3b
inhibition in this model, we would expect it to prevent tularemia
lethality. A successful experiment would further validate the
mechanism of our mAb in yet another model supporting the prospect
that it may find broader application in other unmet diseases,"
stated Dr. Mark Williams, Vice President of Research.
The upcoming animal study is being conducted under a screening
program offered by NIAID's Division of Microbiology and Infectious
Diseases. The study, to be conducted by the University of New
Mexico, will focus on providing key efficacy data that would, if
successful, support the filing of an Investigational New Drug (IND)
application to treat tularemia with this novel mAb.
In other news, the Company issued 110,000 stock options to a
director with a strike price of $1.20 and a term of five years.
About DiaMedica
DiaMedica is a biopharmaceutical company that develops novel
therapeutic products designed to improve the lives of people with
Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and other large, medically-unmet
diseases. DiaMedica's lead drug, DM-199, has been shown to
significantly improve glucose metabolism and protect and
proliferate beta cells.
The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the
trading symbol "DMA".
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements made in this press release that are not
historical facts contain forward-looking information that involves
risk and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of
historical facts, which address DiaMedica's expectations, should be
considered forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on
management's exercise of business judgment as well as assumptions
made by and information currently available to management. When
used in this document, the words "may", "will", "anticipate",
"believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and words of similar
import, are intended to identify any forward-looking statements.
You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements. These statements reflect a current view of future
events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties as
contained in the Corporation's filings with Canadian securities
regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated in these forward-looking statements. The Corporation
undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update, revise or
otherwise publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date
hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of any unanticipated events.
Although management believes that expectations are based on
reasonable assumptions, no assurance can be given that these
expectations will materialize.
Contacts: DiaMedica Inc. Rick Pauls President & CEO
204.477.7590 204.453.3745 (FAX) rpauls@diamedica.com
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