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Bird Flu Oral Vaccine Licensed by MDM Group License Agreement for Orally Administered H5N1 Vaccine Mar 14, 2006 11:34:00 AM SANTA CLARA, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 03/14/06 -- MDM Group, Inc. (OTC: MDDM) advises that its Biodefense Division has entered into an agreement with Immunitor USA Inc. to license the unique new vaccine candidate against deadly H5N1 influenza virus.
As a possible breakthrough in the development of H5N1 vaccines, Immunitor's Avian Influenza Mucosal Immunity Vaccine (Amivax) has revealed several critical advantages in studies to date:
1. orally delivered -- Amivax consists of killed influenza virus formulated as a tablet. The vaccine is stable at room temperature and does not lose biological activity when administered orally. This provides a significant advantage over injected vaccines that usually cost more, must be refrigerated and burdensome to administer.
2. acts by priming "the mucosal immunity" -- Amivax is absorbed through the "mucosal" surface in the human gut, not directly in the bloodstream itself, conferring immunological advantages over vaccines that require distribution throughout the bloodstream. These advantages may confer greater efficacy and safety of the vaccine against pathogen that spreads primarily through the mucosal lining of the inner organs.
3. broadly active -- Amivax is expected to have a broad range of activity against deadliest forms of influenza viruses, including H5N1 virus, an attractive feature, if the virus becomes airborne -- the characteristic trait of pandemic virus.
4. economically and easily produced -- Amivax production to date has been limited to research batches. However, the proprietary manufacturing method allows the rapid scale-up to the millions of doses at any existing vaccine facility, globally, if required. Preliminary testing with Amivax indicates that the vaccine can confer protection against lethal virus challenge in animals. Further development work is being targeted to identification of the optimally effective dose and immunization schedule in order to select the best commercial formulation of the vaccine.
Immunitor USA Inc. is a private company based in Maryland, USA with government and/or industry alliances in Russia, Canada, Australia, China, Thailand, and the USA. As agreed between the parties, Immunitor USA Inc, will continue to direct Amivax testing and production scale-up, while MDM Group will focus on global strategic and marketing alliances to position Amivax for commercialization and deployment of the vaccine product. The license agreement prescribes a funding arrangement for the project, an opportunity for MDM Group participation in Immunitor USA equity, and a royalty payable by MDM Group to Immunitor USA on all Amivax sales and sublicensing revenues.
H5N1 influenza virus has now spread through over 39 countries in Asia, Middle East, Europe and Africa and according to the World Health Organization has already caused more than $10 billion in losses to millions of poultry farmers. The mortality rate of the virus in humans is over 50% and 170 people are reported to have caught the deadly virus. Amivax and other H5N1 vaccines are now being developed worldwide to prevent the eventual pandemic that may occur if H5N1 virus mutates into a form that is easily transmissible among humans. A vaccine such as Amivax may prevent infection, or even substantially lessen symptoms of infection or mortality when given shortly after exposure to virus.
This press release is available on the Company's official on-line Investor Relations HUB at http://www.agoracom.com/IR/MDMGroup for investor questions, answers and monitored commentary. Alternatively, investors are able to e-mail all questions and correspondence to MDDM*agoracom.com where they can also request addition to the investor e-mail list to receive all future press releases and updates in real time.
About Immunitor USA Inc.
Immunitor USA Inc., (Company) was incorporated in February 2004 in Maryland, USA as licensee of Immunitor Corporation Co., Ltd. -- the first private biotech company founded in Thailand in 2001. The Company has the exclusive rights to patents owned by Thai partner who has developed and currently manufactures four vaccines as means of preventing and/or treating viral (V1), bacterial (V2), and fungal (V4) infections; and cancer (V3). The licensed technology is unique since it enables the formulation of any protein or vaccine (recombinant or from natural source) as an oral pill, which is easy to administer, has low manufacturing cost and is stable, safe, and effective. No other technology is believed to exist that could compete with Immunitor's breakthrough invention which is forecast to reshape the vaccine and therapeutic protein industry. Company's private clinic and manufacturing plant (which has to date produced over 12M doses) are both based in Thailand. Immunitor has developed the oral H5N1 bird flu vaccine candidate that is licensed to MDM Group.
About MDM Group Inc.
MDM Group's Biodefense Division is focused on discovery and rapid development of vaccines and other countermeasures to support the Homeland Defense and other stockpile requirements of the United States government and its citizens as well as those in other countries. MDM Group's overall business interests are focused on the Security, Biodefense and Homeland Security industries.
Safe Harbor Statement
The information in this release, other than historical information, may be considered forward-looking statements within the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Projection and other forward-looking statements and management expectations regarding future events and/or financial performance of the Company -- although given in good faith -- are inherently uncertain and actual events and/or results may differ materially.
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