REPLICor to disclose unique antiviral drug

REPLICor Inc., a privately owned biopharmaceutical company, is developing a broad spectrum antiviral drug called REP 9 which has the broadest spectrum of activity in vitro ever reported for a single chemical entity.

It has in vitro efficacy against 12 different families of viruses out of 18 families affecting humans. It has proven efficacy against many viruses in billion dollar markets including HIV, hepatitis B and herpes viruses. REP 9 has been shown to be well tolerated and to have significant efficacy in vivo in animal models of 6 different viral infections suggesting that it will probably have significant efficacy in humans as well.

REPLICor will be presenting 3 papers regarding the activity of its broad spectrum antiviral drug at the 18th International Conference on Antiviral Research in Barcelona, Spain, April 10-14, 2005. Each presentation will be focused on the in vitro and in vivo results demonstrating the efficacy of REP 9 within a specific viral family. The 3 papers will describe the efficacy of REP 9 when used against 1- the herpes viruses, 2- influenza and 3- hemorrhagic viruses including Ebola, Marburg and Lassa fever.

"These presentations provide an important opportunity for REPLICor to introduce REP 9 to the international scientific community directly involved with antiviral research. This could result in the establishment of important collaborations for the future development of our drug," said Andrew Vaillant, Ph.D., chief scientific officer.

"There is clearly a need to develop new antiviral drugs that can address unmet medical needs in virology. For example, there is no drug on the market that can treat the Marburg virus which has killed over 100 people in Angola in the current epidemic. Another example is the need to enhance our arsenal against new strains of influenza such as the avian flu. An influenza pandemic is currently considered as one of the most important threat to mankind by the CDC and the WHO. Another important problem is the development of resistant strains of viruses to currently available drugs. Our broad spectrum antiviral drug has the potential to address many of these issues," said Michel Bazinet, MD, CEO.

REPLICor Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel antiviral and anticancer therapeutics.