Influenza Virus

dreamstime_6443015 dreamstime_9252631
Influenza viruses are single-stranded RNA viruses that are classified into three major serotypes of A, B, and C. Influenza A virus is the most significant as it causes a more severe disease compared to B and C and it also has a greater tendency to undergo significant antigenic changes. Disease initially consists of fever, myalgia, headache, and shaking chills. After 6-12 hours, a nonproductive cough develops. These acute symptoms persist for a week, however, resolution of all the symptoms may not occur until 2-3 weeks later. Occasionally, the patient develops a progressive infection that involves the tracheobronchial tree and lungs, which may lead to pneumonia. In some cases, a bacterial superinfection may occur significantly worsening the patient’s condition.

The Influenza virus outer glycoproteins are hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Hemagglutinin serves as the receptor binding protein and interacts with host N-acetylneuraminic acid-containing glycoprotein or glycolipid receptor sites on human respiratory target cells. Neuraminidase acts on HA receptors by cleaving terminal neuraminic acid destroying receptor activity. Influenza virus contain a wide variety of subtypes due to its ability to mutate and recombine its RNA genome via a processs of antigenic drifts and shifts especially with its HA and NA genes. Because of this, limited to no protection is conferred with immunity to one type or subtype to another type or subtype, which is major limitation to current vaccine or therapeutic antibody strategies. Since HA and NA are essential for viral attachement and entry, they are the targets of BMI’s Immune Dampening and Refocusing Technology such that broadly reactive immune responses and therapeutic antibodies can be made.

Search Site

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_13272506Biological Mimetics, Inc. research and development includes veterinary applications such as:
Foot and Mouth Disease Virus , Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus,
and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus.

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