f(x) Immune Diagnostics, Inc. has obtained the worldwide exclusive license to provide testing kits, services, and manufacturing of fully human monoclonal antibodies against Streptococcus Pneumoniae. The license was obtained from Pamlico Biopharma, Inc. and is based on patents and technologies from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and Emory University.
f(x) Immune Diagnostics is an industry leader in Streptococcus Pneumoniae biology and related testing and provides analytical tools and services to vaccine developers, public health organizations and researchers dedicated to reducing global morbidity and mortality from pneumococcal pneumonia and related diseases.
“We have been working on solutions to reduce global death from Pneumonia for over 20 years” said Joseph E. Martinez, Chief Science Officer at f(x) Immune. “Supplying these fully human monoclonal antibodies to the industry will open up many more possibilities to combat this illness” said Martinez.
Monoclonal antibodies are bio molecules that are expressed by identical cloned immune cells. Monoclonal antibodies have been approved for applications in cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, macular degeneration, transplant rejection, multiple sclerosis and viral infection. In August 2006 PhRMA reported that US companies had 160 different monoclonal antibodies in clinically significant development.
f(x) Immune is a biotech products and services company serving the global community of researchers, vaccine and drug companies, and Public Health Agencies working to reduce significant death and disease caused by pneumococcal infections and related diseases. These are largely preventable diseases that have been reduced in developed countries by use of effective vaccine programs.
f(x)’s lead products are rapid, high-throughput Serotyping Assays. The technology is used to generate pneumococcal carriage data across large populations to identify the most prevalent pathogens being carried by a regional population. This data is essential to developing and deploying the most effective vaccines. The Company is also developing a broad range of assays, reagents, standards and controls to improve vaccine and drug development, manufacturing quality control and a range of other applications.
f(x) Immune Diagnostics is a client of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College's Business Incubation program in Asheville.
"f(x) Immune Diagnostics has been a great addition to the A-B Tech Business Incubation program and the growing biotechnology industry in WNC," said Jill Sparks, executive director of the A-B Tech Small Business Center and the Business Incubation program. "The company represents the synergy that exists at A-B Tech Enka and they have done a great job of utilizing the multiple resources at our facility which include the Small Business Center, the BioNetwork and the NC Biotechnology Center. In addition, they have not only hired A-B Tech graduates, but those from other local universities as well.”