PRNewswire - Thursday November 30, 2000

The most recently filed patent applications relate to distinct members of a novel class of outer membrane proteins from Chlamydia trachomatis. This bacterium causes sexually transmitted disease, infertility and blindness; it is the leading cause of sexually transmitted disease in many industrialized countries, including the US. More than 4 million cases are estimated to occur in the US annually, and as many as 25 percent of men and 75 percent of women diagnosed with this infection are asymptomatic. Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis increases the risk of infection by other bacteria and viruses, including HIV. Infection of pregnant women can lead to eye infections and potentially blindness in the newborn infant. Approximately 50 percent of reactive inflammatory arthritis cases are associated with Chlamydia trachomatis infections of the genital tract. In the US, the annual costs of treating Chlamydial infections are estimated to exceed $8 billion. A safe and effective vaccine will significantly reduce the risk of infection and serious complications.

Previously, Antex filed patent applications on novel proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea, a very common sexually transmitted disease, is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The Institute of Medicine estimates that 800,000 cases of gonorrhea occur annually in the US. Health economists estimate that the annual cost of gonorrhea and its complications in the US exceeds $1 billion. Following a 72% decline in the reported rate of gonorrhea from 1975 to 1997, in 1999 the gonorrhea rate increased for the second year in a row. In the US, approximately 75% of all reported gonorrhea is found in younger persons aged 15 to 29 years.

The highest rates of infection are usually found in 15- to 19-year-old women and 20- to 24-year-old men. In women, gonorrhea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). About 1 million women each year in the US develop PID, resulting in infertility in as many as 10 percent of those infected.

Gonorrhea in a pregnant woman can cause premature delivery or spontaneous abortion. The infected mother may give the infection to her infant as the baby passes through the birth canal during delivery. This can cause blindness, joint infection, or a life-threatening blood infection in the baby. In men, gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, which can sometimes lead to infertility if left untreated. Gonorrhea can spread to the blood or joints; this condition can be life-threatening. Individuals infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae are at increased risk of acquiring HIV. Resistance to antibiotics has contributed to the increase in cases of gonorrhea in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. As with Chlamydia trachomatis, a safe and effective vaccine will significantly reduce the risk of infection, and serious complications; Antex's vaccine to prevent infections by Neisseria gonorrhoeae is in preclinical development.

"Sexually transmitted diseases continue as a major problem in the US and worldwide, and Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are two of the most significant bacterial causes," said Stephen N. Keith, MD, MSPH, President of Antex. "Vaccines to prevent these infections will represent major clinical and public health breakthroughs, and Antex is leading the effort to develop these products."

AntexBiologics, together with its wholly owned subsidiary, AntexPharma, is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and marketing new products to prevent and treat infections and related diseases. The Company has three vaccine products in clinical development and has strategic alliances with SmithKline Beecham, Aventis Pasteur, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Statements contained herein that are not historical fact, particularly those that utilize terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "likely," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "believes" or "plans," or comparable terminology, may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the Company. Such factors are more fully described in the Company's Form 10-KSB filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and include, but are not limited to: (i) the Company's ability to fund its future operations; (ii) the Company's ability to successfully complete product research and development, including preclinical and clinical studies and commercialization; (iii) the Company's ability to obtain required governmental approvals; (iv) the Company's ability to attract and/or maintain manufacturing, sales, distribution and marketing partners; and (v) the Company's ability to develop and commercialize its products before its competitors.

SOURCE: Antex Biologics Inc.

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