CytoGenix Announces Award of SBIR Grant from the National Institutes of Health

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CytoGenix, Inc. (CYGX), today announced that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of NIH has awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research Grant (SBIR) to CytoGenix, Inc. Dr. Frederic Kendirgi will be the principal investigator. The grant entitled, “Novel DNA Manufacturing Process: Cell-Free Production and Testing of a New Multivalent DNA Vaccine Against Human Influenza (H5N1)” received an award of approximately $136,000.

“The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry and the increasing number of cases derived from direct transmission of avian influenza viruses to humans are a significant threat to public health. Currently, no robust vaccines against potentially pandemic avian flu viruses are available to the general public.”

Dr. Kendirgi comments, “The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry and the increasing number of cases derived from direct transmission of avian influenza viruses to humans are a significant threat to public health. Currently, no robust vaccines against potentially pandemic avian flu viruses are available to the general public.

Results from this grant may pave the way for a new generation of DNA vaccines against influenza virus strains using our synDNA^SM production process which can be rapidly adapted to new viral strains. This acknowledgement of our technology allows us to put this process to trial by focusing on a potential medical emergency.

If successful, we hope to routinize our vaccine production platform and apply the experience gathered to generate synDNA^SM vaccine candidates against other pathogen causing diseases such as malaria, AIDS or tuberculosis to which effective vaccines prepared by conventional methods have shown disappointing results.”

Dr. Malcolm Skolnick, CytoGenix CEO adds, “Award of this peer reviewed, competitive grant provides support for CytoGenix’s ongoing research and development efforts as well as external validation of the synDNA^SM vaccine technology. The Company will utilize the results from this Phase I grant to develop our application for further funding in additional phases of the SBIR program.”

SAFE HARBOR: Except for statements of historical fact, the statements in this press release are forward-looking. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, risks associated with the acceptance of new products, competition, and other factors more fully detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additional information about CytoGenix and its technology can be found on the website at www.cytogenix.com.