Dengue

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An estimated 50-100,000,000 dengue infections are caused each year by four antigenically distinct serotypes of Dengue virus (Den-1 to –4) resulting in widespread dengue fever (DF).  Approximately 250,000 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF) are seen in the infected individuals.  The viruses are transmitted primarily by the mosquito Aedes aegypti and are endemic throughout the tropical and subtropical regions.  Dengue has expanded throughout the tropical Americas and the expansion is expected to accelerate due to climate warming.  Despite the health importance of DF and DHF, vector control is the only available control measure.  Treatment of DF and DHF consists largely of supportive care only.

Although vaccines are available against two related flaviviruses, yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis. dengue vaccine development has been complicated by antibody mediated enhancement of infection and by strain-specific immunity to vaccine candidates.  BMI and its collaborators are designing immune refocused dengue vaccines with the aim of producing a single vaccine that protects against multiple variants that are encountered in endemic areas.

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Virus Developments

BMI is developing an AIDS vaccine and applying its Immune Dampening and Refocusing Technology to the outer HIV envelope glycoprotein gp120/gp41, which is the main mediator of viral fusion and entry with host receptors CD4 and chemokine receptors CCR5 and/or CXCR4.

The Latest Technology

Biological Mimetics, Inc. (“BMI”) was formed to commercialize innovative pharmaceutical products that will improve the quality of life and overall state of public health by combating resistant and emerging diseases in human and veterinary medicine. Our mission philosophy is to remain a creative and innovative biotechnology firm dedicated to improving the quality of life and overall state of public health through the application of novel technologies for the development and commercialization of human and veterinary biologics to address a long list of hitherto intractable disease targets involving viruses, bacteria, parasites, and cancer.

Research & Development

dreamstime_1923964Respiratory disease accounts for an estimated 75 to 80% of all acute morbidity in the U.S. population and approximately 80% of these are due to viruses. The major causes of acute respiratory disease include influenza virus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, and respiratory coronavirus. BMI’s vaccine efforts are focused on influenza virus and rhinovirus.
Learn more:  Influenza Virus  | Rhinovirus

Company News

blk triangleJune 2011: BMI announces collaborative research agreement with Crucell-BV for development of a universal influenza vaccine
blk triangleNov. 2010: BMI announces collaborative research agreement with GSK-Biologicals for development of an immune refocused vaccine for respiratory infection
blk triangleSept 2010: BMI is awarded a Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Award
blk triangleJune 2010: BMI is awarded a Small Business Innovative Research Grant from the NIH for vaccine development
blk triangleNov. 2009: BMI is a prime contractor in the Fundamentals of Biology Program of DARPA/DSO for the study of modularity in biological systems
blk triangleMay 2008: BMI is awarded a subcontract for HIV vaccine development through the Henry M Jackson Institute for the Advancement of Military Medicine.
blk triangleJuly 2007: BMI is awarded a subcontract from DARPA through Rice University to study the evolution of pathogens
blk triangleJune 2007: BMI is awarded a subcontract from DARPA through VaxDesign (Orlando, Florida) to study immunogenicity of influenza