CytoGenix Launches Innovative Vaccine Program Using Proprietary Cell-Free DNA Production Process
Unlike traditional vaccines that are made from dead or attenuated pathogens, DNA vaccines carry only the coding sequence for the antigen gene from the disease causing pathogen that is then expressed in human cells to elicit an immune response. Currently DNA vaccines are made by growing the plasmid DNA in recombinant bacteria. This process is lengthy, expensive and risky. The CytoGenix cell-free synthetic DNA production method is less expensive, faster and safer.
The world vaccine market, including pediatric and adult vaccines, is estimated at $7-$9 billion in 2005 with an annual growth rate of over 20%. Pediatric vaccines hold the largest share of the overall market, but sales of adult vaccines for influenza and hepatitis have grown significantly over the past few years and will continue to increase in value.
Dr. Malcolm Skolnick, CytoGenix CEO, commented, "This vaccine program is the culmination of our efforts to integrate our experience in developing anti-viral therapeutics with our newly developed synthetic DNA production technology. We expect equal or greater levels of immune response from our synthetic DNA vaccines than from the current generation of plasmid DNA constructs."