CEL-SCI Signs Agreement With National Institutes of Health and U.S. Army for Testing of CEL-1000 Against SARS, Smallpox, Vaccinia and West Nile Virus
VIENNA, Va. -- CEL-SCI Corporation has signed a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), an institute of the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID) to test CEL-SCI's proprietary CEL-1000 peptide against SARS, smallpox, vaccinia, West Nile virus and potentially several other diseases as well. The testing will be conducted to determine whether CEL-1000 could be used as a potential treatment and/or preventive agent against these diseases.
CEL-1000 has been shown in separate studies to be protective in animal models against herpes and malaria, and to enhance survival against cancer in animals. CEL-1000 appears to activate innate (very early stage) and Th1 type (cellular) immune responses to induce a broad-spectrum protection against infection in animal models. The innate immune system is generally accepted to be the first line of defense against infectious agents.
Two research grants have recently been awarded for CEL-1000 by the U.S. government. In April 2003, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) was awarded a $1.1 million grant for collaborative studies with CEL- SCI to develop CEL-1000 as a possible treatment for viral encephalitis. Viral encephalitis is a potentially lethal inflammation of the brain. In May 2003, CEL-SCI was awarded a $162,000 SBIR Phase I grant to further the development of CEL-1000 against herpes simplex.
Geert Kersten, CEO of CEL-SCI said, "We are very pleased with the support we have been receiving from the U.S. government and for assisting our efforts to improve patients' lives by testing CEL-1000 as a novel treatment for a wide range of diseases."
CEL-1000 is a modified version of a human immune-based-protein known to bind to both human and mouse immune cells and appears to act by enhancing the host's protective immune response.
CEL-SCI Corporation is developing new immune system based treatments for cancer and infectious diseases.
Source: CEL-SCI Corporation
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