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PARI’s eFlow Nebulizer used in Alnylam
Clinical Trial for Respiratory Syncytial Virus;
New Drug Based on RNAi Technology
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, October 16, 2006 – PARI’s
eFlow, an advanced electronic nebulizer, is
being used to deliver Alnylam’s ALN-RSV01 in a
Phase I human clinical trial initiated this week
for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus
infection (RSV). ALN-RSV01 is an RNAi
therapeutic which uses the same technology
discovered by American researchers and awarded
the Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and Physiology or
Medicine earlier this month.
"There is a significant need for novel
therapeutics to effectively treat patients with
RSV infection, the leading cause of pediatric
hospitalization in the U.S. today and a
prevalent infection in immune-compromised adult
populations," said John P. DeVincenzo, M.D.,
Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the
University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
“We are pleased to offer PARI’s eFlow platform
technology to administer Alnylam’s novel inhaled
RNAi compound for RSV. Our advanced nebulizer
system appears to be ideally suited for
delivering this delicate compound to infants’
lungs, which is the target site for RSV
infection. eFlow’s efficiency and speed of
delivery can often result in more effective
treatments using a lower dose and volume of
medication compared to traditional jet or
ultrasonic nebulizers,” said Dr. Martin Knoch,
Managing Director of PARI.
RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes
infections in the upper and lower respiratory
tract associated with predictable seasonal
outbreaks worldwide. RSV infection is the most
common cause for infant hospitalization (more
than 100,000 hospitalizations annually in the
U.S), and the virus is a significant pathogen in
the elderly. The RNAi therapeutic, ALN-RSV01, is
a small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA)
targeting the messenger RNA of the RSV N gene,
thereby preventing viral replication. To deliver
ALN-RSV01 to the site of infection, the siRNA is
being administered as an aerosol in a highly
efficient pulmonary delivery system, the eFlow®
electronic nebulizer, with a high drug output
and low residual drug loss.
About eFlow
eFlow, an electronic, portable nebulizer,
enables extremely efficient aerosolization of
liquid medications via a vibrating, perforated
membrane. Compared to other nebulizer systems,
eFlow can produce aerosols with a very high
density of active drug, a precisely defined
droplet size, and a high proportion of
respirable droplets delivered in the shortest
possible amount of time. Combined with its
silent mode of operation, small size (it fits in
the palm of your hand), light weight, and
battery use, eFlow helps reduce the burden of
taking daily inhaled treatments.
About PARI
PARI is a leading worldwide developer and
manufacturer of fast and efficient aerosol
delivery systems for patients with asthma,
chronic lung disease, and cystic fibrosis.
PARI's primary focus is to provide patients with
innovative products and services that help
control or prevent symptoms from respiratory
diseases. PARI also develops inhalable drug
products in the area of chronic lung diseases
and already has several drug candidates in
clinical development. PARI’s worldwide
headquarters is in Starnberg, Germany with a
major presence in the United States and offices
in Japan, United Kingdom, and China. Online at
www.paripharma.com
Additional information on eFlow and PARI is
available by contacting Kirsten Ayars at
805-452-7909 or Geoff A. Hunziker of eFlow LLC
at 831-372-3580.
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