TORONTO, Jan. 6, 2014 /CNW/ - Microbix Biosystems Inc.
(TSX: MBX) ("Microbix" or the "Company"), an innovator of
biological products and technologies, announced today it has
commenced a patent litigation against Novartis Vaccines and
Diagnostics, headquartered in Basel,
Switzerland, alleging infringement of its proprietary
VIRUSMAX technology. The complaint was filed in the Eastern
District of Texas. Microbix was
granted patents for the VIRUSMAX technology in twenty-one countries
between 2006 and 2011.
The Company's VIRUSMAX technology is useful for increasing virus
yields in egg-based vaccine manufacture. The patent application was
first published internationally in 2004 when the global market for
influenza vaccine was US $1.6
billion. At that time, governments, the WHO and public
health authorities worldwide expressed growing concern about
limited global vaccine manufacturing capacity and supply,
especially in light of a potential influenza pandemic.
The influenza vaccine market has experienced significant growth
in the past ten years and is predicted to reach US $4 Billion in 2014. An independent study
published in the Journal of Vaccine in 2006 reported that the
application of VIRUSMAX technology led to a significant increase in
flu virus production in eggs. These trials used methods comparable
to those employed in seasonal influenza vaccine manufacture. The
Company has also demonstrated substantial yield increases over
conventional manufacturing processes for a number of influenza
vaccine strains using its technology.
Vaughn Embro-Pantalony, President
and Chief Executive Officer said, "VIRUSMAX is a novel technology
that was developed by our Company at significant cost. The
technology provides significant efficiencies to the influenza
vaccine industry and it benefits the global supply of
vaccine. We intend to enforce our intellectual property
rights surrounding this technology."
About Microbix Biosystems
Microbix Biosystems Inc. specializes in the development of
biological solutions, including products for vaccine and
diagnostics markets worldwide. The company owns intellectual
property for an approved biological drug, a vaccine technology and
an animal reproduction technology. Established in 1988,
Microbix is headquartered in Toronto.
Microbix' pipeline of innovative technologies and products
includes LumiSort® semen sexing technology for the livestock
industries, and Kinlytic®, a thrombolytic drug with several
approved and potential applications including the treatment of
life-threatening blood clots, and VIRUSMAX®, a proprietary
technology for increasing virus yields in influenza vaccine
manufacture.
Disclaimer
This press release may contain forward-looking statements which
are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements including the risks associated with
litigation, operations in foreign jurisdictions, foreign currency
and exchange rate risk, and risks of raising capital on acceptable
terms or at all. These statements reflect management's
current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are
not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions
that all forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and
the actual performance may be affected by a number of material
factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control.
Accordingly, actual future events, conditions and results may
differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and
expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking
information. All statements are made as of the date of this
news release. The Company is under no obligation to update or
alter any forward-looking information.
Please visit www.sedar.com for recent Microbix Biosystems Inc.
filings on its pipeline products and financial information.
SOURCE Microbix Biosystems Inc.
