Re: Re: Sinusitis Disease Affecting 31M Americans

[Guest guest]

I found it at:

http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=1115256XSL_NEWSML_TO_NEWSML_WEB.\

xml

I hope you don't mind if I post it to a sinusitis support group that I belong

to.

Kathy

tigerpaw2c <tigerpaw2c@...> wrote:

,

I see the whole link is not highlighted, so try copying and pasting

both lines.

KC

> Breaking News

> Email article to a colleague Printer friendly version

> Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Launches CRSFungal Profile:

> The First Diagnostic Test Available for the Confirmation of Chronic

>

> http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?

> name=1115256XSL_NEWSML_TO_NEWSML_WEB.xml

>

> Sinusitis Disease Affecting 31M Americans

> 11/29/2005 9:27:00 AM EST

>

> Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABPI) announced today

the

> commercial introduction of a patented, non-invasive test,

CRSFungal

> Profile, by its specialty pharmaceuticals division, TEAMM

> Pharmaceuticals, to assist in the diagnosis of Chronic Sinusitis

> (CS) otherwise known as Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS). In

partnership

> with the licensee for this patented technology, IMMCO Diagnostics

> Inc. (IMMCO) of Buffalo, NY, Accentia Biopharmaceuticals is making

> CRSFungal Profile available to ear, nose and throat (ENT)

> specialists and allergists nationwide.

>

> CS is one of the most common chronic diseases suffered by

Americans

> today, affecting an estimated 31 million patients in the US. CS is

a

> chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal and sinus mucosa that

> persists for greater than three months. Long-term consequences

> include the formation of inflammatory polyps in the nose. The

> inflammation of CS results in symptoms that include nasal

> congestion, mouth breathing, nasal discharge, and post-nasal drip.

> This chronic non-infectious inflammation predisposes patients to

> acute exacerbations of their sinusitis due to bacterial

> superinfection, which requires oral antibiotic therapy. Many

> patients with severe disease resort to sinus surgery in an effort

to

> reduce nasal obstruction and improve sinus drainage.

>

> Historically, the diagnosis of CS has been made based on a

doctor's

> subjective assessment of a combination of the patients' symptoms,

> nasal endoscopy, and CT scan of the sinuses. There has been no

> confirmatory diagnostic test for the disease.

>

> Published studies by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,

> Minnesota have provided substantial evidence that the underlying

> cause for CS is the presence of fungi, in the mucus layer of the

> nasal and sinus cavities. While fungi are present in the majority

of

> the population, it is an inflammatory response in susceptible

> patients that causes CS. This research has led to a better

> understanding of the condition and it has led to the development

of

> new treatment strategies targeting the fungal etiology.

>

> CRSFungal Profile enables physicians to test for the specific

> protein marker, eosinophil Major Basic Protein (eMBP), as well as

> one of the fungi that causes CS. The test uses a small sample of

> mucus from the patient's nasal cavities. The mucus sample is sent

by

> the physician to IMMCO where it is analyzed by immunoassay.

> Typically, results are made available to the physician within 72

> hours.

>

> " Chronic sinusitis is extremely debilitating to the millions of

> sufferers worldwide. The improvements in diagnostic testing will

> make it easier for the practitioner to appropriately treat these

> patients, " said Dr. Sherris, Professor and Chairman,

> Department of Otolaryngology, University of Buffalo. " In clinical

> studies, patients with chronic sinusitis were positive for the

eMBP

> protein in their mucus, but it was not detected in patients with

> allergic rhinitis or in normal patients. "

>

> " We are excited to partner with IMMCO on this groundbreaking tool

> for diagnosing CS. Existing interventions have been largely

limited

> to the use of inhaled or oral corticosteroids, decongestants, anti-

> histamines, and sinus surgery but we believe that these

> interventions do not address the underlying cause of the

> inflammation. This is the only test on the market that physicians

> can use to assist in the diagnosis of CS based on the underlying

> etiology, " said Cantrell, Executive Vice President Sales and

> Marketing of specialty pharmaceuticals at Accentia.

>

> Accentia and IMMCO have toll free numbers for physicians seeking

> more information or to obtain the CRSFungal Profile sample

> collection kit. The toll free numbers are: Accentia 866-481-9020

or

> IMMCO 800-537-8378.

>

> About Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.

>

> Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company

> focused on the development and commercialization of late-stage

> clinical products in the therapeutic areas of respiratory disease

> and oncology. The Company's SinuNase product is a novel

> application and formulation of a known anti-fungal being developed

> under an IND to treat chronic sinusitis (rhinosinusitis). SinuNase

> was originally developed by and licensed from the Mayo Foundation

> for Medical Education and Research. BIOVAXID is a patient-

> specific anti-cancer vaccine intended for the treatment of

> follicular non-Hodgkins' lymphoma. BIOVAXID is being developed by

> our subsidiary Biovest International, Inc. (OTCBB:BVTI) and it is

> currently in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial started by the

> National Cancer Institute. In addition, Accentia has a growing

> specialty pharmaceutical business with a portfolio of currently

> marketed products plus a pipeline of additional products under

> development by third parties. For further information, please

visit

> our web site: http://www.accentia.net.

>

> About IMMCO Diagnostics, Inc.

>

> Founded in 1971, IMMCO Diagnostics, Inc. (IMMCO) of Buffalo, New

> York is a global leader in the field of autoimmune diagnostics

> services and medical device manufacturing and distribution. IMMCO

> has a longstanding commitment to R & D and technological

advancement,

> offering services and products which utilize cutting edge

> methodologies to diagnose a wide range of diseases. A number of

> proprietary technologies will be introduced in 2005-2006 to expand

> the frontiers of autoimmunity and further differentiate IMMCO from

> its global competitors.

>

> Forward-Looking Statements

>

> Statements in this release that are not strictly historical in

> nature constitute " forward-looking statements. " Such statements

> include, but are not limited to, statements about CRSFungal

Profile

> and any other statements relating to Accentia's products, product

> candidates, and product development programs. Such statements may

> include, without limitation, statements with respect to the

> Company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other

> statements identified by words such

>

as " may " , " could " , " would " , " should " , " believes " , " expects " , " anticip

> ates " , " estimates " , " intends " , " plans " or similar expressions.

Such

> forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,

> uncertainties, and other factors that may cause Accentia's actual

> results to be materially different from historical results or from

> any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking

statements.

> These factors include, but are not limited to, risks and

> uncertainties related to the progress, timing, cost, and results

of

> Accentia's clinical trials and product development programs;

> difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approval for

product

> candidates; competition from other pharmaceutical or biotechnology

> companies; and the additional risks discussed in Accentia's

filings

> with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward looking

> statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary

> statement, and Accentia undertakes no obligation to revise or

update

> this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the

date

> hereof.

>

> CONTACT:

> Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., Tampa Sherran Brewer, 866-481-

9020

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>

>

>

>

>