Contracted by virtually all children by the age of three, RSV spreads rapidly through contact with respiratory secretions. RSV is the primary cause of bronchopneumonia in infants and children in the U.S., and results in approximately 100,000 hospitalizations and 4,000 deaths each year. Premature infants, immunodeficient patients, and the institutionalized elderly are at the greatest risk for significant morbidity and mortality from RSV. Current treatments for RSV are suboptimal. Inhaled ribavirin is difficult to administer, relatively toxic, and, as a result, infrequently used. A prophylactically-administrated monoclonal antibody (Synagis, MedImmune) is available for high-risk patients. The pipeline of potential new therapies for RSV is limited and consists of a small number of drugs in pre-clinical through Phase III development. RSV vaccines are under development, but are not likely to eliminate the need for therapeutic agents given the immunocompromised nature of those most at risk.

In an agreement with Washington University in St Louis, Rush University Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health Public Health Services, Apath has exclusively in-licensed the rights to U.S. Patent No. 7585667 issued September 8, 2009. This patented technology is available to be licensed non-exclusively to interested third parties. All research and development tangible property materials will be provided to our clients via a purchases services agreement from Dr. Mark Peeples, formerly a professor at Rush University, currently a professor at Ohio State University, Children’s Nationwide Hospital. Dr. Peeples has developed and validated multiple cell based respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) replicons. More recently, he has added the Renilla Luciferase gene to the RSV replicon in order to provide an easily quantifiable marker for High Throughput Screening.  Please contact Robert Roth for additional information and licensing opportunities related to Negative Strand RNA Virus Replicon Technology.