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Microbix Biosystems granted U.S. patent for its influenza vaccine yield enhancement technology
Microbix Biosystems granted U.S. patent for its influenza vaccine yield enhancement technology.
About this update from Microbix Biosystems Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nTORONTO, Oct. 22 /CNW/ - Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX:MBX) has been\ngranted a patent by the U.S. Patent Office for its technology - VIRUSMAX(TM) -\nwhich enables vaccine manufacturers to double the amount of influenza vaccine\nthey produce each year.\n\n\nMicrobix' discovery has enormous implications for protecting more people\nduring a pandemic. Patents are also being allowed in Canada, India and\nAustralia, and a number of other applications in major markets are currently\npending.\n\n\n"We're delighted that we now have strong patent protection as we engage\nin assisting manufacturers increase production" said William J. Gastle, CEO of\nMicrobix. The company's technology will be licensed to manufacturers on a\nnon-exclusive basis.\n\n\nAnnual global flu vaccine production capacity is currently about\n350 million doses. The Microbix process, if adopted worldwide, would increase\nthat amount to at least 700 million doses.\n\n\nVIRUSMAX(TM) can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively by\nmanufactures, allowing them to ramp up production in a matter of months.\nMicrobix has established a Special Workgroup for Applied Technology Transfer\n(SWATT) to help manufacturers adopt the process. The SWATT team is now being\nsent to various facilities to assist customers in implementing the technology\nand training local personnel.\n\n\nThe World Health Organization, in its Global Vaccine Action Plan, noted\nthat if an influenza pandemic were to occur, the potential vaccine supply\nwould fall far short of the amount needed. Among all the strategies outlined\nin the WHO's Action Plan, increased production yields was identified as "the\nmost direct mechanism to make more doses available."\n\n\nMicrobix specializes in developing proprietary biological technologies,\nincluding biotherapeutic drugs, vaccine technologies and animal reproduction\ntechnologies. It has been researching and developing the flu vaccine yield\nenhancement technology for a number of years, with a team at the company's\nToronto laboratories spearheading these efforts.\n\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject\nto risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ\nmaterially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements such as the\nrisks associated with licensing the technology ...