Oragenics-Intrexon Collaboration Announces Significant Progress Towards Commercial Production of Lead Lantibiotic MU1140
Oragenics,
Inc. (OTCBB: OGEN) announced today that its Exclusive Channel
Collaboration (ECC) with Intrexon
Corporation, a synthetic biology company, has produced an exponential
increase in the fermentation titer of the target compound MU1140
and the discovery of a promising new purification process for this
product. This demonstrates significant progress toward the commercial
production of its lead lantibiotic, MU1140, and delivers an important
step in validating the lantibiotics platform targeting infectious
diseases. Oragenics and Intrexon have been working together through the
ECC to produce a pipeline of new lantibiotics that have been shown to be
active against essentially all Gram-positive pathogens, including
vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), Clostridium difficile,
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as well as
multi-drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
"The ability to manufacture MU1140 by fermentation was originally
thought not to be commercially feasible due to low titers and
difficulties in purification. The Oragenics-Intrexon ECC clearly shows
that the application of specific expertise in these areas represents a
breakthrough by developing a potentially viable commercial process for
these important anti-infective agents," stated Dr. John N. Bonfiglio,
Chief Executive Officer of Oragenics. In addition to the optimization of
fermentation and purification strategies, Oragenics and Intrexon are
working to leverage Intrexon’s genetic and cell engineering expertise to
produce analogs of MU1140 and a pipeline of new lantibiotics. “We
believe the newly developed process will provide for the first time, the
necessary quantities of MU1140 to complete critical development
activities,” added Dr. Bonfiglio.
About Oragenics, Inc.
Oragenics, Inc. is focused on becoming the world leader in novel
antibiotics against infectious disease and probiotics for oral health
for humans and pets. Oragenics, Inc. has established an exclusive
worldwide channel collaboration for lantibiotics, a novel class of broad
spectrum antibiotics, with Intrexon Corporation Inc., a synthetic
biology company. The collaboration will allow Oragenics access to
Intrexon's proprietary technologies with the idea of accelerating the
development of much needed new antibiotics that will work against
resistant strains of bacteria. Oragenics also develops, markets and
sells proprietary probiotics specifically designed to enhance oral
health for humans and pets, under the brand names Evora
and ProBiora
in over 13 countries worldwide.
For more information about Oragenics, visit www.oragenics.com.
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Safe Harbor Statement: Under the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking
statements that reflect the Company’s current views with respect to
future events and financial performance. These forward-looking
statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and
information currently available. The words “believe,” “expect,”
“anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project” and similar expressions
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statements because they are subject to a variety of risks,
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differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking
statements. These factors include, but are not limited to our ability to
raise additional capital to sustain our operations beyond June 30, 2012
and those set forth in our most recently filed annual report on Form
10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and other factors detailed from
time to time in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission. We expressly disclaim any responsibility to update
forward-looking statements.
