Microsoft word - presentation press release.doc

Countervail Corporation 1 Greentree Center DR. EDSON ALBUQUERQUE TO PRESENT RESEARCH DATA SUPPORTING
USE OF GALANTAMINE AS A NOVEL NERVE GAS ANTIDOTE
COUNTERMEASURE AT BARDA INDUSTRY DAY
Washington DC, Thursday, August 2, 2007 – Countervail Corporation announces that Dr. Edson Albuquerque, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, will give an oral presentation entitled, ”Galantamine: A Novel
Medical Countermeasure Against Organophosphorus Poisoning” at the Biomedical Advanced
Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Industry Day on August 3, 2007 in Washington, D.C. This event provides a forum for companies to demonstrate technological advances in bio- medical countermeasures to man made and naturally occurring threats such as pandemic influenza that will contribute to government programs such as BARDA, Project Bioshield and the HHS Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) Strategy for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Threats. Countervail Corporation has obtained the license for the exclusive development and commercialization rights from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, for the use of galantamine that can protect against the effects of some of the most dangerous and feared chemical agents and EXCLUSIVE WORLDWIDE LICENSE FOR GALANTAMINE insecticide poisons. Agents most feared to be used as possible weapons of mass destruction (Soman, Sarin and VX gas) are based on organophosphates (OP). In addition many commercial pesticides are based on organophosphates due to their effectiveness and low cost. Galantamine has been shown, in original studies carried out by Dr. Edson X. Albuquerque and collaborators at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, to protect against OP poisoning by acting on important sites within the central nervous system. The limitations of available therapies against OP poisoning are recognized and more effective antidotes are needed. When compared to other antidotes currently available, studies initially funded by the Department of Defense and by the National Institutes of Health CounterACT Program through the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke indicate that galantamine provides effective and safe protection when taken prior to or just after exposure to OP toxins. There is further evidence that Galantamine provides an added protection against long-term brain damage induced by OPs, a key concern of OP poisoning. Galantamine has been used in humans for decades and has been FDA approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The market opportunity for an improved agent against OP poisoning is significant. The risk of nerve gas use as a terrorist weapon is of real concern. Recent events of nerve gas use include the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein’s use on the Iranians and Kurds and the attack in a Japanese civilian subway station. Key segments that would benefit from a superior OP prophylactic/antidote are US and NATO military personnel, civilian populations and first responder personnel. Also considering that approximately 70% of pesticides used worldwide are organophosphate based, agricultural applications could include prophylactic protection of farm workers and as an antidote in acute OP pesticide poisoning. EXCLUSIVE WORLDWIDE LICENSE FOR GALANTAMINE Countervail Corporation is a US company focused on the protection of our Military and Civilian populations from chemical and biological weapons. For additional information please contact: Bill Basinger [740-591-2848, [email protected]] Ron Lynch [856-424-7763, [email protected]] Chip Stephens [203-856-5945, [email protected]]

Source: http://www.countervailcorp.com/press_releases/PresentationPR.pdf