ImQuest in Mississippi

I just found it funny that this PR Newswire press release was picked up by the SunHerald, covering Southern Mississippi. It’s a nice write-up, but not sure I’d like to go all of the way to Delhi to have to present it!

ImQuest Scientists Present Important HIV Microbicide Development Results at Microbicides 2008 in Delhi, India

By ImQuest Life Sciences

FREDERICK, Md., April 8, 2008 –

ImQuest scientists Robert W. Buckheit, Jr., Ph.D. and Karen M. Watson, M.S. presented the results of studies performed with products licensed by ImQuest Life Sciences, Inc. at the recent Microbicides 2008, an international conference held in New Delhi, India and attended by microbicide scientists, developers, and care givers from around the world. Dr. Buckheit was invited to speak by the Conference organizers, presenting the results of ImQuest’s current research on the pyrimidinedione series of microbicide candidates in a special symposium entitled “New Approaches to Microbicide Candidates”. ImQuest is currently developing the highly unique, dual acting pyrimidinediones as potential microbicide candidates based on their significantly high potency against HIV-1, their unique mechanism of action, and their ability to potently suppress the sexual transmission of wild type and drug resistant viruses.

According to Dr. Buckheit (Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of ImQuest Life Sciences, Inc., and President of its subsidiary, ImQuest BioSciences, Inc.), “It was highly gratifying to speak on our novel pyrimidinedione products at this Conference and to have them recognized as a new approach to HIV prevention by the thousands of dedicated people leading these efforts around the world.” ImQuest has obtained funding from the National Institutes of Health and The International Partnership for Microbicides to further develop these products.

At the conference, Ms. Watson (Manager, Topical Microbicide Research and Development) presented three papers, including additional data on the pyrimidinedione IQP-0528, newly emerging data on the microbicide candidate ISIS 5320 (IQP-0831), and results from laboratory studies performed using ImQuest’s recently developed Microbicide Transmission and Sterilization Assay which quantifies the ability of microbicide products to completely suppress the sexual transmission of HIV.

ImQuest Life Sciences, a privately held U.S. company located in Frederick, Maryland specializes in the preclinical and clinical development of novel compounds for the treatment of infectious disease and cancer. ImQuest BioSciences, also located in Frederick, Maryland, is a leading provider of anti-infective and anti-cancer drug and vaccine development services to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. Both companies are highly involved in efforts to develop an effective anti-HIV topical microbicide.

LLCT to supply Primary Cells for ATCC

I just saw this news feed from March 31, via Cell Therapy News:

“International Stem Cell Corporation Announces Manufacturing and
Supply Agreement with ATCC“
Oceanside, California, March 31, 2008, International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:
ISCO) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with ATCC (American
Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Va.) to manufacture living primary cells and cell
culture products for worldwide distribution by ATCC into the biological research market.
ISCO, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology (Walkersville,
MD) develops and manufactures optimized human cell culture products for research use.
These products consist of frozen cells and cell culture media and reagents and include
stem cell products.

That’s a real shot in the arm for LLCT. I know they have had it rough the past couple of months, with the sudden death of their CEO in January.  I know a few people there and I wish them much success.  Maybe a couple will come to BioBeers?

Also of note, Mike Gove is quoted as the VP of Marketing for ATCC.  It’s always good to see a familiar name and former LifeTekker on the roster and in the news (for something positive).