VANCOUVER, March 31, 2020 /CNW/ - Sirona Biochem Corp.
(TSX-V: SBM) (FSE: ZSB) (US-OTC: SRBCF) ("Sirona") is
excited to announce its French subsidiary lab TFChem has initiated
an antiviral program to produce potential new antiviral agents to
assist in combating COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
After two months of extensive research, TFChem scientists have
determined the proprietary platform technology can be
applied to develop new antiviral compounds. Work on this
program has begun with a goal to produce new therapies in three
current antiviral categories: Neuraminidase Inhibitors, Nucleoside
Analogs and Iminosugars. These categories are all Glycosides with a
carbohydrate core and therefore suitable for application of the
technology. The goal is to develop novel multi-target antiviral
compounds, affecting different steps of the viral life cycle. The
company believes there is a high therapeutic potential for these
Glycosides.
Viruses are a leading cause of death globally. Therapies to
treat most viral infections are limited and the emergence of new
viruses can greatly endanger society, as is currently the case with
the pandemic caused by COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus or
SARS-CoV-2. There is a need to identify novel, effective and safe
drugs to treat viral infections. Awareness of the value of this
project and other antiviral projects ongoing globally has become
apparent.
"We have the financial resources to initiate this project and
anticipate we will secure further non-dilutive financing to support
the project ongoing. We are working to secure new senior laboratory
technicians to join our current team at TFChem and have identified
suitable candidates within France
that will greatly expand our capabilities. We will also reach out
to our current partners to explore how their capabilities can
assist us in this project. None of these efforts will affect our
current core projects which are principally managed by different
team members than are involved in early stage compound synthesis,"
said Dr. Howard Verrico, CEO of
Sirona Biochem.
"These are difficult times with our global battle against
COVID-19. We are receiving tremendous support from the French
government and have a dedicated team who are always searching for
new opportunities to apply our technology. Dr. Géraldine
Deliencourt-Godefroy, our Chief Scientific Officer, has
a proven ability to identify projects with significant
probabilities of clinical success. On her recommendation and the
recognition to potentially deliver novel therapies that can benefit
the global population, we have decided to proceed with this
program," Dr. Verrico added.
About Sirona Biochem Corp.
Sirona Biochem is a cosmetic ingredient and drug discovery
company with a proprietary platform technology. Sirona's subsidiary
lab, TFChem, specializes in stabilizing carbohydrate molecules with
the goal of improving efficacy and safety. New compounds are
patented for maximum revenue potential.
Sirona's compounds are licensed to leading companies around the
world in return for licensing fees, milestone fees and ongoing
royalty payments.
For more information, please
visit www.sironabiochem.com.
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including, without limitation, statements about: the progress and
timing of its clinical trials; difficulties or delays in
development, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, producing and
marketing its products; unexpected adverse side effects or
inadequate therapeutic efficacy of its products that could delay or
prevent product development or commercialization; the scope and
validity of patent protection for its products; competition from
other pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies; and its ability to
obtain additional financing to support its operations. Sirona
Biochem does not assume any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements except as required by law.
SOURCE Sirona Biochem Corp.