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 09 24 07 | ST. LOUIS Divergence Receives NIH Grant to Identify Candidate Drugs for Elephantiasis and River Blindness Divergence, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health – National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH-NIAID) in the amount of $734,000. The grant, entitled "Functional Genomic Approach to Macrofilaricide Discovery," is focused on the discovery of drugs for preventing and curing infections by filarial parasites, long thread-like worms. The principal investigator for this grant is James P. McCarter, M.D., Ph.D., Divergence’s President and Chief Scientific Officer. Divergence also announced the publication in the journal Science of the genome of the filarial parasite Brugia malayi, an analysis by an international team of scientists that included four Divergence co-authors. Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis, both caused by filarial parasites, are among the most important tropical diseases. Lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis, causes massive swelling of limbs and, with 140 million cases, is the second leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. Onchocerciasis, also called river blindness, results in painful itching and damage to the cornea and retina. It is a major cause of infectious blindness. Coordinated global efforts are underway to control both diseases, but current drugs are incapable of eliminating the adult worms that can survive for upwards of a decade, thus making the cure for such infections difficult. Drug resistance has also been detected in the worms causing river blindness. “Filarial infections cause substantial human morbidity, especially in Africa and Southeast Asia,” said McCarter. “A drug that is active against all stages of these parasites could provide dramatic improvement in the quality of life and productivity of millions of people. Additionally, molecules resulting from the project could be active as veterinary anthelmintics and plant nematicides.” The generation of the draft sequence of Brugia malayi, published in the September 21, 2007 issue of Science, is the first available genome for any parasitic nematode. The project, which involved laboratories worldwide including Divergence, was initiated by the Institute for Genomic Research and funded by NIH-NIAID. The identification of over 12,000 Brugia genes provides new avenues for the discovery and development of antiparasitic drugs. "At this pivotal time, the SBIR support which Divergence has received from NIH-NIAID will enable us to move rapidly toward the identification of candidate molecules for the control of filarial diseases,” said McCarter. Grants remain an important source of funding for Divergence. Divergence has been awarded funding totaling nearly $6 million from the NIH, National Science Foundation, United States Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, World Health Organization, and National Corn Growers Association. About Divergence Divergence is a research and development company dedicated to the discovery of effective and ecologically sound strategies for the control of parasites and other pests. The company’s initial focus is on parasitic nematodes, one of the world’s major pest groups. Nematodes are roundworms that cause billions of dollars in damage annually to numerous crops, including soybeans, corn, cotton, strawberries, and bananas. Major nematode-induced human diseases, besides lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis, include hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm. Nematodes also cause widespread disease in animals, including intestinal worms in livestock and pets. Filarial parasites of animals include canine and feline heartworm. To learn more about Divergence, please visitwww.divergence.com.
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