Imulan Initiates Valley Fever Study Program

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Veterinary
Article Date: 06 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Imulan BioTherapeutics, LLC (IMULAN) announced they will be implementing a program to evaluate the effects of a new immuno-therapeutic for dogs with coccidioidomycosis, or Valley Fever. The study will serve as a comparative research program for human Valley Fever, a prevalent infection in Arizona. IMULAN's study program represents a new approach, by evaluating an immunological strategy versus an anti-fungal drug approach.

Dr. Craig Woods, CEO of IMULAN, stated, "We strongly suspect that dogs with chronic coccidioidomycosis have a reduction in their immune surveillance capacity which permits the fungus to survive. Valley Fever can have catastrophic consequences in dogs and humans and we are confident that our immune restoration approach will lead to new treatment options."

About Valley Fever

Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) is an infection caused by a fungus called Coccidoides immitis and affects a variety of species including humans and dogs. In the United States, infections are generally localized to the Southwest corridor, with Arizona a leading state for infections. Dogs may serve as a good spontaneous model for comparative research since the pathophysiology and disease progression often mimics human Valley Fever.

About Imulan

Imulan develops unique, precision immune regulating compounds for veterinary medicine. Imulan's primary focus is on biological strategies that combine peptide pharmacology with immunology to treat infectious, autoimmune, and immune mediated diseases in small and large animal medicine. IMULAN recently commercialized Lymphocyte T-Cell Immunomodulator, the first US conditionally licensed treatment aid for cats infected with feline leukemia and immunodeficiency virus.

Imulan BioTherapeutics, LLC