COLLEGE STATION, TX / ACCESSWIRE / June 21, 2022 / Enzolytics, Inc. (OTC PINK:ENZC) (ENZC" or the "Company") today announced it has identified conserved, immutable sites (epitopes) on the Monkeypox virus. These discoveries are a part of Enzolytics' continuing efforts to address future healthcare needs in pandemics using its Comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) protocol for producing Monoclonal Antibodies, including implementing AI analysis of existing viruses and any new virus immediately upon its emergence globally.
The Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Gaurav Chandra, said, "We continue to make rapid strides with our Artificial Intelligence Platform. Our unique AI platform has been driving the Company's discoveries and drug development. Enzolytics has a robust Artificial Intelligence Platform for genomic surveillance and monitoring of viral epidemiology that is used to identify conserved targets for produced Monoclonal Antibodies. The Company's Artificial Intelligence platform has also been used to build AI-generated 3D Models of all the conserved targets. The analysis of these conserved sequences revealed that all epitopes identified by the Company are linear, accessible by antibodies, and unaffected by mutations. Therefore, Monoclonal Antibodies produced against these targets will expectedly be universal, durable, broadly neutralizing, and unaffected by virus mutation."
Monkeypox is a zoonotic orthopoxvirus that incidentally causes disease in humans similar to smallpox, although with notably lower mortality. Two types (West African-usually, seen in Nigeria, and Central African-usually, seen in the Congo River Basin) have a higher case fatality rate, approx. 10.6%. Between 1 January to 15 June 2022, a cumulative total of 2103 laboratory-confirmed cases, one probable case, and one death have been reported to WHO from 42 countries.
The public health risk could become high if this virus exploits the opportunity to establish itself as a human pathogen and spreads to groups at higher risk of severe diseases such as young children and immunosuppressed persons. According to a WHO risk assessment issued 06/12/22, "immediate action from countries is required to control further spread among groups at risk, prevent spread to the general population and avert the establishment of Monkeypox as a clinical condition and public health problem in currently non-endemic countries."
The vaccines available to combat Monkeypox have significant drawbacks that many other therapies do not. The smallpox vaccine is approximately 85% effective in preventing infection in close contacts and lessening the severity of the disease, but this vaccine has a significant side effect profile (including post vaccinal CNS disease, progressive vaccinia, and most commonly urticarial rashes), as it is a live vaccinia virus and cannot be used in populations most at risk from Monkeypox. It may be especially risky for infants or women who are pregnant or immunocompromised individuals or those with HIV.
Speaking on the role of Monoclonal Antibodies in targeting conserved sequences for Monkeypox, Dr. Suraj Saggar, an Advisory Board Member, said, "Monkeypox is a DNA virus and is less prone to random mutations during replication versus an RNA virus-like SARS-Cov2. The current virus outbreak reveals only minor genetic variations compared to strains first collected in the 1970s. However, if the virus becomes endemic in Europe and N. America, the pool of those infected becomes much more significant. In addition, the chances of mutation increase compared to when endemicity was constrained to Central/West Africa. Currently, the U.S. government agency CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiologic and Nuclear) Medical Countermeasures is looking at Monoclonal Antibodies for Monkeypox. Enzolytics will be ready to create Monoclonal Antibodies for Monkeypox if the situation requires it." As with all of the significant discoveries made by the Company, Enzolytics is preparing patent applications to cover the identified neutralizable, immutable sequences and their use in the creation of anti-Monkeypox Monoclonal Antibodies, vaccines, and diagnostic tests.
The Company is making continuous progress on its many programs and therapeutics. The Company CEO, Charles Cotropia, said, "We have many collaborative partners with whom we work daily and are focused on expanding that list so that we can achieve, as soon as possible, our many therapeutic goals."
About Enzolytics, Inc.
Enzolytics, Inc. is a drug development company committed to commercializing its proprietary proteins and monoclonal antibodies to treat debilitating infectious diseases. The Company is advancing multiple therapeutics targeting numerous infectious diseases. One patented and clinically tested compound, ITV-1 (Immune Therapeutic Vaccine-1), is a suspension of Inactivated Pepsin Fraction (IPF), covered by U.S. Patent Nos. 8,066,982 and 7,479,538. Studies have shown it to be effective in treating HIV/AIDS. ITV-1 has also been shown to modulate the immune system.
The Company is also implementing its proprietary technology to produce fully human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against infectious diseases, including HIV, rabies, influenza A, influenza B, tetanus, and diphtheria. In addition, its proprietary methodology, covered in its pending U.S./PCT Patent Application for producing fully human monoclonal antibodies, is currently employed to produce monoclonal antibody therapeutics for numerous infectious diseases, including the CoronaVirus (SARS-CoV-2) and HTLV-1.
Safe Harbor Statement: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties associated with financial projections, budgets, milestone timelines, clinical development, regulatory approvals, and other risks described by Enzolytics, Inc. from time to time in its periodic reports filed with the SEC. ITV-1 is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or by any comparable regulatory agencies elsewhere in the world.
While Enzolytics, Inc. believes that the forward-looking statements and underlying assumptions contained therein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, including, but not limited to, the ability of Enzolytics to establish the efficacy of its therapeutics in the treatment of any disease or health condition, the development of studies and strategies leading to commercialization of its therapeutics in the United States, the obtaining of funding required to carry out the development plan, the completion of studies and tests on time or at all, and the successful outcome of such studies or tests. Therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this release will prove to be accurate.
Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations. They involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of the statements made, and cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update the forward-looking statements or update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
I.R. contact:
TEN Associates, LLC
Tom Nelson, CEO
(480) 326-8577
Company Contact:
Enzolytics, Inc.
Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies
Enzolytics, Inc.
800 Raymond Stotzer Parkway
College Station, Texas 77843-4478
SOURCE: Enzolytics, Inc.