MALVERN, Pa., Jan. 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Nasdaq:TLOG) today announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research to examine TetraLogic's SMAC-Mimetic birinapant in viral infections. Preclinical studies performed at the WEHI have indicated that SMAC-Mimetics decrease the viral burden in mice with human Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) by inducing apoptosis of virally infected hepatocytes while sparing the non-infected cells.
TetraLogic has entered into a license agreement with WEHI for worldwide exclusive rights to a patent application filed by the institute relating to a method of treating intracellular infections involving the administration of an Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP) antagonist.
"Our work with TetraLogic, if successful, will provide a truly novel approach," said Professor Douglas Hilton, Director, WEHI. "This is further evidence of our commitment to perform research that has a direct impact on the lives of patients."
"We are very excited about this collaboration and look forward to further progress in the research program with WEHI," said Mr. Kevin Buchi, CEO of TetraLogic. "This is an opportunity to build on pioneering basic research to attack infectious disease with a completely novel therapeutic approach."
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About the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
WEHI is Australia's oldest medical research institute. It is home to almost 750 researchers who are working to understand, prevent and treat diseases including infectious diseases, cancers and immune disorders. It is located in Parkville, Melbourne, and is closely associated with The University of Melbourne and The Royal Melbourne Hospital.
About TetraLogic
Tetralogic is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel small molecule therapeutics that mimic Second Mitochondrial Activator of Caspases, or SMAC-mimetics, and are designed to cause or enable abnormal cells that are resistant to the body's immune system to self-destruct. Birinapant, our clinical-stage product candidate, is currently being tested in Phase 1 and Phase 2 oncology clinical trials for hematological malignancies and multiple solid tumors.
Forward Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. These statements relate to future events or TetraLogic's pre-clinical and clinical development of birinapant and other clinical programs, future expectations, plans and prospects. Although TetraLogic believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, expectations may prove to have been materially different from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. TetraLogic has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including ''believes,'' ''estimates,'' ''anticipates,'' ''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''projects,'' ''intends,'' ''potential,'' ''may,'' ''could,'' ''might,'' ''will,'' ''should,'' ''approximately'' or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Registration Statement on Form S-1 originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 18, 2013, as amended (Registration No. 333-191811).
Any forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of its date. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after its date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.