Novel Valortim(R) Mechanism of Action Data Presented at the Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellul...( ANNAPOLIS Md. March 31 /-PharmAthene ...),Health

ANNAPOLIS, Md., March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --PharmAthene, Inc. (NYSE Amex: PIP), a biodefense company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats, announced today that new mechanism of action data for Valortim(R) were presented at the Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology Conference on Dendritic Cells, March 29-April 3, 2009 in Banff, Alberta.

The data were presented by Dr. Alan S. Cross, Professor of Medicine and Dr. Subhendu Basu, Research Associate, University of Maryland School of Medicine, in a poster presentation on March 30th entitled MAb-Enhanced, Human Dendritic Cell-Mediated Adaptive Immune Response to B. Anthracis. Valortim(R) is a fully human anti-toxin monoclonal antibody being developed in conjunction with Medarex, Inc. for the prevention and treatment of inhalational anthrax.

Previous mechanism of action data have shown that in addition to inhibiting anthrax toxin, Valortim(R) augments the immune system's ability to kill anthrax bacilli. In an in vitro mouse macrophage model, Valortim(R) enhanced the killing of B. anthracis (anthrax) by macrophages in a time and dose-dependent manner.

The new data presented by Drs. Cross and Basu build on this initial information in the mouse model by demonstrating that Valortim(R) can enhance the killing of anthrax by human dendritic cells.

Dr. Cross remarked, "These latest studies using human immune cells provide additional evidence of the role of Valortim(R) in enhancing the killing of B. anthracis. We hypothesize that Valortim(R) may protect against lethal anthrax infection by its toxin neutralization activity that allows the development of a potent human dendritic cell-mediated adaptive response that rids the host of viable bacteria."

D
'/>"/>