LifeTECH's Sterinetics(TM) System Achieves Multiple Viral
Inactivation in Intravenous Immunoglobulin
TORONTO, Dec. 3 1996 /CNW/ - LifeTECH Corporation announced today
that its Sterinetics System has successfully inactivated three
kinds of hazardous viruses in human Intravenous Immunoglobulin
(IVIg). The three virus types inactivated are recognized by North
American and European regulatory agencies as animal equivalents of
human disease viruses. From a scientific standpoint, inactivation
of the animal viruses is accepted as evidence that the human
viruses can be eliminated as well. IVIg is an intravenous solution
made from human protein extracted from blood, and is transfused
into tens of thousands of immune-suppressed patients annually.
Mr. Walter J. Dermott, President and CEO, stated: "Inactivation of
these three model viruses provides further confirmation that the
Sterinetics System is the world's most advanced technology for
viral inactivation of blood products. Our patented, induced
oxidative stress process has now been proven to achieve more than
6 logs (log 6) of inactivation of both lipid coated and non-lipid
viruses within the same process cycle. To date, no other
technology has achieved these results. We will continue our
development program to position the Sterinetics System to
capitalize on the global $7-10 billion annual marketplace for
blood product sterilization."
The three viruses successfully inactivated by the Sterinetics
System include the Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) virus, which models
the human Hepatitis C virus, and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis
(IBR) which is a large Herpes type virus. Also inactivated was the
much smaller Adenovirus, which is found both in bovine species and
humans.
Viral inactivation of IVIg is part of LifeTECH's continuing
development of the Sterinetics System for viral inactivation of
multiple blood components such as red blood cells, serum, plasma
and platelets. LifeTECH's goal is the elimination of the
transmission of disease through blood and blood product
transfusions.
LifeTECH Corporation is a Canadian biotechnology company dedicated
to developing and commercializing innovative technologies to
sterilize blood and other biological fluids. LifeTECH's
Sterinetics System is designed to inactivate viruses and bacteria
in the global blood supply, including the HIV and Hepatitis
viruses. LifeTECH common shares (LFTK) and warrants (LFTK.WT)
trade on the Canadian Dealing Network.
From Canada Newswire