Published on December 10, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Intralytix, Inc., announced today that it has been issued a patent by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office covering the use of bacteriophages to reduce the risk of bacterial infection in persons colonized with pathogenic bacteria including MRSA.
The patent broadly relates to the administration of compositions containing bacteriophages to individuals colonized with pathogenic bacteria in order to prevent the development of bacterial infections. The claims cover the general method, means and routes of administration, and specific cases including MRSA.
Nasal colonization of patients and healthcare personnel by MRSA frequently leads to serious infection. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 53 million people in the US are colonized with MRSA. Over 2 million people contract staph infections in hospitals each year. The claimed methods covered by the patent are particularly important for preventing life-threatening bacterial infections, treating immunocompromised patients (including patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy), and reducing the incidence of antibiotic resistant infections. The patent covers the use of key Intralytix products, including a nasal bacteriophage spray to significantly reduce or eliminate colonization by Staphylococcus aureus , including MRSA. John Vazzana, CEO, speaking for the company said, “Bacterial infection of immunocompromised and seriously ill patients, as well as antibiotic resistant infections are serious problems in today's world. We are excited that our technology has been recognized as an innovative approach to help solve these problems. We look forward to bringing this technology to market.”
Intralytix, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on improving human health through the development and commercialization of innovative products for food safety and human therapeutics using its core bacteriophage technology platform.
http://www.intralytix.com