Right on TK, and in case anyone wonders just where Frank fits in to this puzzle ...
Sponsored Research Agreements/Collaborations
Sponsored and collaborative research are very effective and economical methods of employing top-notch scientific talent and expensive facilities for a fraction of the cost if we were to replicate these efforts in-house. Sponsored research is paid for by the Company. In collaborative research, one party may provide technology and the collaborating party may use the technology in an investigation. The following is a summary of sponsored and collaborative research projects in progress. The fees charged by the institutions total less than $150,000.
1. Dr. Cy Stein (Albert Einstein Medical School/Montefiore Medical Center) has constructed stable cell lines of melanoma and has used the Company's technology to achieve significant reduction of the Bcl-2 apoptotic gene. Dr. Stein has observed reduced expression at both mRNA and protein levels. The biological analysis of these cell lines has been completed. Dr. Stein will study the effects of CYGX antisense oligonucleotide sequences on cancers transplanted into mice.
2. Dr. Frank Orson (Baylor College of Medicine) is currently conducting an in vivo study to use aerosol delivery of the ssDNA expression vector developed by CYGX targeting pKC-alpha, an oncogene associated with lung cancer. Several variations in delivery methods are being tested including polyethylenimine (PEI) with plasmid IP, naked plasmid ID and PEI aerosol.
3. Dr. Michael Mathis (Louisiana State University Health Science Center) is currently constructing an adenoviral delivery system for CYGX designed single-stranded DNA expression vectors. He will use this system to target eIF4E in head and neck cancer therapy.
4. Drs. Edward Mason and Jesus Vallejo (Texas Children Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine) are investigating CYGX designed Peptide Nucleic Acid compounds as therapeutics for bacterial resistant strains such as Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Penicillin resistant Streptococcus using a mouse model.
5. Dr. David Weiner (University of Pennsylvania Medical School) is conducting animal studies using CYGX cell-free produced, synthetic DNA to test the immunological activity of a DNA vaccine against small pox.
6. Under Agreement, CYGX has provided synthetic DNA to a company to test the immunological activity of a DNA vaccine against the Hepatitis B virus.
7. Under Agreement, CYGX has provided synthetic DNA to test the immunological activity of a DNA vaccine against the Influenza virus.
8. The Company licensed a compound from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This compound will be amplified using the CYGX synthetic DNA production process to make a compound that will be tested by NIH as a DNA vaccine against HIV.
9. Dr. Jeffrey Actor (University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston) has completed a study investigating CYGX designed peptide nucleic acid (PNA) antisense oligomers as therapeutic agents against bacterial infection in a mouse peritonitis model. The PNA treatment was sufficient to rescue up to 100% of animals infected with two different strains of E-coli. This work will be published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in August of 2005.
10. Negotiations are being completed for sponsored research to conduct studies to demonstrate proof of biologic activity of the anti-inflammatory compound (CY303)
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