QLD firm joins fight against biological warfare
Published Sunday, 21 October, 2007 at 05:30 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
21 October 2007
A Queensland bioscience company is set to sign an $18 million deal with the US defence forces to help fight the international war against biological weapons, Premier Anna Bligh said today.
“Implicit Bioscience will sign a contract with the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency to develop its clinical stage drug, oglufanide disodium,” she said.
This drug is designed to treat and protect people from Melioidosis - an uncommon but potentially fatal form of bacterial pneumonia that is spread through contaminated soil and water and is naturally prevalent in South East Asia and Northern Australia.
The US Government believes a number of countries are well underway in the development of a biological agent that would cause melioidosis.
“In an aerosol or freeze dried form, the US Government believes melioidosis would be easy to spread and would lead to widespread casualties.
“The US Government will explore the drug’s potential to protect its soldiers against what is believed to be a very real bio-threat through further testing in US military and biodefense laboratories.
“There’s even the potential to pre-treat military personnel and peacekeepers prior to deployment into the Asia-Pacific region, particularly during monsoon season when the risk of infection is high.
“Implicit Bioscience plan for the drug as a nasal spray, making it highly portable and easy to self administer - another plus for military and peacekeeping settings.
“The drug is intended for treating melioidosis, but the company contends it has a much wider potential.
“It is believed that the drug could be useful against a wide range of infectious diseases which are currently threatening world health (e.g. malaria & tuberculosis).
“In fact, clinical trials of the drug’s ability to treat hepatitis C are currently underway in Brisbane and Melbourne.”
Implicit Bioscience started out at the Queensland Government’s i.Lab technology incubator at Toowong and has gone from strength to strength.
This week the State is host to the AusBiotech Conference where a host of Queensland biotechnology companies, just like Implicit Bioscience, are helping to produce wide ranging solutions for an array of global issues. AusBiotech is the premier biotechnology conference in the Asia-Pacific region and is expected to attract about 1200 participants from some 30 countries, including the United States of America, Italy, Taiwan, Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Media contact Premier’s Office 3224 4500
A Queensland bioscience company is set to sign an $18 million deal with the US defence forces to help fight the international war against biological weapons, Premier Anna Bligh said today.
“Implicit Bioscience will sign a contract with the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency to develop its clinical stage drug, oglufanide disodium,” she said.
This drug is designed to treat and protect people from Melioidosis - an uncommon but potentially fatal form of bacterial pneumonia that is spread through contaminated soil and water and is naturally prevalent in South East Asia and Northern Australia.
The US Government believes a number of countries are well underway in the development of a biological agent that would cause melioidosis.
“In an aerosol or freeze dried form, the US Government believes melioidosis would be easy to spread and would lead to widespread casualties.
“The US Government will explore the drug’s potential to protect its soldiers against what is believed to be a very real bio-threat through further testing in US military and biodefense laboratories.
“There’s even the potential to pre-treat military personnel and peacekeepers prior to deployment into the Asia-Pacific region, particularly during monsoon season when the risk of infection is high.
“Implicit Bioscience plan for the drug as a nasal spray, making it highly portable and easy to self administer - another plus for military and peacekeeping settings.
“The drug is intended for treating melioidosis, but the company contends it has a much wider potential.
“It is believed that the drug could be useful against a wide range of infectious diseases which are currently threatening world health (e.g. malaria & tuberculosis).
“In fact, clinical trials of the drug’s ability to treat hepatitis C are currently underway in Brisbane and Melbourne.”
Implicit Bioscience started out at the Queensland Government’s i.Lab technology incubator at Toowong and has gone from strength to strength.
This week the State is host to the AusBiotech Conference where a host of Queensland biotechnology companies, just like Implicit Bioscience, are helping to produce wide ranging solutions for an array of global issues. AusBiotech is the premier biotechnology conference in the Asia-Pacific region and is expected to attract about 1200 participants from some 30 countries, including the United States of America, Italy, Taiwan, Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Media contact Premier’s Office 3224 4500