TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 9, 2005--Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. (OTCBB:
NNBP) ("Nanobac" or "the Company") announced today a multi-center collaboration
involving researchers from Nanobac Life Sciences, the University of California,
San Francisco (UCSF), and NASA's Johnson Space Center, to study kidney stone
formation. The multi-disciplinary team will apply the same type of instrumentation
used to analyze moon rocks and particles collected from space to analyze mineralized
particles and stones collected from kidney stone patients.
Little progress has been made during the last 50
years in understanding kidney stone formation. However,
researchers from Nanobac have shown that virtually
all kidney stones contain Calcifying Nano-Particles,
also referred to as "Nanobacteria". Nanobac researchers
have also shown that these particles are powerful
mediators of plaque formation and stones. The direct
injection of Nanobacteria into rat kidneys resulted
in stone formation in the nanobacteria-injected kidney
during one month follow-up. The multi-disciplinary
team will attempt to find early events in stone formation
and to verify whether Calcifying Nano-Particles are
the initiators of kidney stone formation.
"This collaboration is unique as it brings together
Nanobac's expertise in Calcifying Nano-Particles,
with one of the leading urologists in the field of
kidney stone disease, Dr. Marshall Stoller from UCSF.
Through Nanobac's Space Act Agreement with NASA,
Dr. Neva Ciftcioglu, Nanobac's researcher at NASA,
and a team of biomaterial researchers, headed by
Dr. David McKay, will apply some of the world's most
sophisticated instruments for studying mineralized
samples," stated Grant Carlson, Nanobac's President
and Chief Operating Officer. "This collaboration
could have far reaching implications for the 1 person
in 10 that develops kidney stones in their lifetime."
"Although urinary stones comprise the third most
common disease of the urinary tract, the underlying
cause still remains a mystery," commented Dr. Marshall
Stoller, Vice Chairman, Department of Urology, University
of California, San Francisco. "This is a rare opportunity
to apply some of the most advanced geological analysis
technologies, previously used to study lunar samples,
to study mineralized particles from diseased tissues."
NASA says previous data show that astronauts are
at increased risk for kidney stones as the result
of longer missions and the physiological effects
of space. "There could be serious health consequences
for an astronaut who develops a kidney stone during
a space flight, and it could also harm the mission," stated
Dr. Jeffrey Jones, urologist and NASA Flight Surgeon. "By
applying technologies from the material sciences,
we hope to solve a medical mystery. What is the underlying
cause of kidney stones and can they be prevented?
The answer to those questions will have a significant
impact to Americans and to astronaut health on extended
space missions."
The economic costs of kidney stones are enormous.
In the U.S., more than half a million people will
develop kidney stones this year and 7 to 10 of every
1,000 hospital admissions are due to kidney stones.
Men appear to be afflicted with kidney stones more
often than women, with the ratio being about 3 to
1. In addition, those who develop kidney stones have
a 50% risk of having another stone within 5-10 years.
Caucasian patients are affected by kidney stones
more than African American patients, and the maximum
incidence occurs in the 30-50 year old age group.
About Nanobac Life Sciences
Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. is dedicated to improving
people's health through the detection and eradication
of Calcifying Nano-Particles, also referred to as "Nanobacteria".
The Company's pioneering research is establishing
the pathogenic role of Nanobacteria in soft tissue
calcification, particularly in coronary artery heart
disease, prostatitis and vascular disease.
Nanobac has identified and established two biomarkers
of nanobacterial infection, and expects to file for
FDA approval of its NB2(TM) ELISA assays to detect
nanobacterial antigen and IgG antibody. It is also
leveraging its proprietary knowledge and intellectual
property to develop novel therapeutics to treat nanobacterial
infections. The Company currently markets a patented
nanobiotic regimen and has developed tests to detect
Nanobacteria in blood, serum, tissues, urine and
spinal fluids. Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. is headquartered
in Tampa, Florida. For more information, please visit
our websites at: http://www.nanobaclifesciences.com or http://www.nanobacsciences.com .
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