VRAL Company to Research Lyme Treatment

Mar 23, 2009 Viral Genetics, Inc. a biotechnology company that discovers and develops immune-based therapies, announced it has successfully secured $75,000 in grant funding from the Turn The Corner Foundation for an upcoming Lyme disease study.

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2238433/

Viral Genetics Lands Grant for New Lyme Research Study

Tue. March 24, 2009; Posted: 11:35 AM

Mar 23, 2009 Viral Genetics, Inc. a biotechnology company that discovers and develops immune-based therapies, announced it has successfully secured $75,000 in grant funding from the Turn The Corner Foundation for an upcoming Lyme disease study.

The study headed by Viral Genetics Head of Research, Dr. M. Karen Newell and her research group at the University of Colorado in collaboration with Dr. Steven Harris of Pacific Frontier Medical, Redwood City, California and Dr. Peter Richards of San Francisco, will commence this week. The study involves testing and further exploration of a newly-discovered mechanism in Lyme disease founded upon the targeted peptides being developed by the Company and Dr. Newell.
“The ultimate goal of our research is to identify and optimize a new therapy for Lyme Disease that inhibits chronic inflammation and focuses the immune response,” said Dr Newell. “I am thrilled that the Turn the Corner Foundation has chosen to fund our research about the potential molecular mechanisms involved in chronic Lyme Borreliosis. My lab, Viral Genetics, and I, feel a profound sense of responsibility to honor the trust that has been placed in our research by the dedicated and passionate members of the Turn The Corner Foundation.”

In a release, the company noted that the Summary of the Work includes:

The research proposal involves testing a newly discovered mechanism in which bacterial infection with the pathogen, Borrelia Borgdorferi, first activates an inflammatory response followed by a focused and more specific immune response. In previous studies the Viral Genetics model, discovered and unravelled by Dr Newell, suggests that the acute inflammation that is typical of initial infection with the bacteria should be helpful in resolving the disease. However, in some people (determined by their specific genetic makeup), the inability to dampen the inflammation and convert the immune response to a more focused, specific immune response may result in chronic ongoing symptoms characterized by the chronic “hyper-immune” activation.

Failure to control the initial inflammation in what should have been a temporary “innate” response turns into a chronic and spreading syndrome. The Newell model reconciles both the initial acute disease as Borrelia Burgdorferi mediated, and accounts for the immunologically-driven consequent processes that appear pathologically similar to outright autoimmune disease.

Dr. Newell will work with Dr. Steven Harris to correlate the ongoing symptoms of patients with Chronic Lyme Disease with the genetically determined patterns of patients “immune response” which are found in their MHC genes. The study also involves performing basic experiments with Borrelia Burgorferi and the impact the organism has on acute and chronic inflammatory responses.

“TTC is very exited to support the efforts of both Dr. Karen Newell and Viral Genetics Inc. The idea that their Targeted Peptide Therapy could suppress the inflammatory response that is so often present in chronic Lyme disease could be one step towards a cure” said Staci Grodin, Co-Founder of Turn The Corner Foundation. “Lyme disease is the most common vector born infectious disease in the U.S. It is a multi-symptom disease which can affect every part of the human body. Everyone is susceptible to Lyme disease and its symptoms can often mirror those of other illnesses, making it very difficult to diagnose. Left untreated, Lyme disease can be devastating to its victims.”

“We appreciate immensely the funding we have secured from the TTC Foundation. We must work quickly and efficiently to unravel this mechanism and get these answers, and only then can the Lyme research community stop debating and get on with the real task at hand which is discovering and distributing effective treatment to the patients that need it most,” said Monica Ord, Viral Genetics SVP of Corporate Development and Communications.

TTC is a charity whose mission is to support research, education, awareness and treatments for Lyme disease and other Tick-borne diseases.

((Comments on this story may be sent to health@closeupmedia.com))