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Synthonics, Inc News...


December 21, 2011

Synthonics receives SBIR Matching Grants from CIT-CRCF

Blacksburg, VA – The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) announced today that Synthonics was awarded a SBIR Matching Grant from the Commonwealth Research and Commercialization Fund (CRCF). The awards totaling $3.6 million were made to 22 organizations from academia, the research community, and industry in the Commonwealth for the purpose of funding targeted areas of research with commercial promise aligned with the Commonwealth Research and Technology Strategic Roadmap. This CRCF grant will be used to further advance Synthonic's novel MCP (metal coordinated pharmaceutical ) chemistry for its metallo-levodopa compound to treat Parkinson’s Disease.

November 9, 2010

Synthonics, Inc. Awarded Four Grants under the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project

Synthonics, Inc. today announced that it has been awarded over $667,000 in grants through the U.S. government's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project, which provides tax credits and grants to projects that show significant potential to produce new therapies, reduce long-term health care costs, or significantly advance the goal of curing cancer within the next 30 years.

Synthonics was awarded the full amount it requested for each of its applications. The subject matter of those applications demonstrates the flexibility and broad applicability of Synthonics' chemistry and include:

    - Development of an extended release metallo-levodopa complex for the treatment of motor symptoms of Parkinson's Disease

    - Development of an injectable metallo-SAHA complex (currently administered in pill form) for the treatment of certain cancers

    - Development of an injectable metallo-zanamivir complex (currently administered as an inhalable) for the treatment of flu viruses and

    - Development of an injectable metallo-topiramate (currently administered in pill form) for treatment of seizures in neonates.


Commenting on today's news, Dr. Tom Piccariello, President and Chief Science Officer of Synthonics, stated that "We are very pleased that the U.S. government, relying on the National Institutes of Health peer review process, has deemed our work worthy of financial support. The receipt of this grant award bolsters our cash reserves as we continue to develop pipeline product candidates."

Ken Slepicka., Chief Executive Officer, added that "These grants provide significant, non-dilutive funding for our development programs and are a testament to the commercial potential of our products and chemistry. When coupled with the recent allowance of our initial patent claims, these grants position us well for growth."

The Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project, established under section 48D of the Internal Revenue Code, is a $1 billion fund, available to firms with no more than 250 employees. The credit or grant covers up to 50 percent of the cost of qualifying biomedical research.

October 4, 2010

SYNTHONICS GRANTED FIRST PATENT

U.S. Patent 7,799,937 for Metal Coordinated Compound, Zinc-T3 (Triiodothyronine)

Blacksburg, VA -- Synthonics, Inc. announced that the US Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 7,799,937 B2, the first patent in Synthonics' portfolio.

This composition of matter patent, which covers a complex of zinc with triiodothyronine (T3), establishes the patentability of novel molecules created by chelating a metal to a known drug. Synthonics has demonstrated that it can significantly improve a drug's absorption and delivery by chelating it to a metal, which should provide significant clinical benefits.

"We are pleased to begin to build our intellectual property portfolio and expect additional patent grants on compounds derived from our Metal Coordinated Pharmaceutical (MCP) Platform," stated Kenneth Slepicka, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder. "This patent demonstrates our ability to obtain intellectual property protection for these novel compositions of matter and further validates the value of our metal coordination platform approach. We feel that this patent will be the first of many patents covering a wide array of applications and disease states.."

About Synthonics

Synthonics is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of pharmaceuticals incorporating its proprietary metal coordination chemistry. Synthonics uses that chemistry to create novel therapeutic compounds by covalently binding metals to known pharmaceutical agents to create new products ("metal coordinated pharmaceuticals" or "MCPs") that deliver greater therapeutic benefits than do their predecessors.


July 1, 2010
SYNTHONICS RECEIVES MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION FUNDING FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL METALLO-LEVODOPA COMPOUND

Study to Pave Way for Future Clinical Trials in Parkinson's

Blacksburg, VA. - Synthonics, Inc., a privately-held biotechnology company focused on improving medical care through the development of novel metallo-pharmaceuticals, today announced that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has agreed to fund its study of "Metal Complexation with Levodopa to Improve Continuous Dopaminergic Stimulation." Synthonics believes that its metallo-levodopa compound can significantly advance the treatment of motor dysfunction associated with Parkinson's disease. Synthonics uses its proprietary metal coordination chemistry to control and extend the release of levodopa into the blood. Maintenance of consistent levels of levodopa in the blood is expected to materially reduce the incidence of abnormal involuntary movements or dyskinesia as well as "off" periods of muscle rigidity in Parkinson's patients.

"We are excited to advance research on our novel metal coordination chemistry, specifically on our metallo-levodopa compound, and to work alongside the Michael J. Fox Foundation in its efforts to develop better treatments for this devastating disease" said Synthonics CEO Kenneth J. Slepicka.

About Synthonics, Inc.

Synthonics, Inc. is a privately-held biotechnology company developing metal coordinated pharmaceuticals ("MCP's"). Synthonics uses its proprietary metal coordination chemistry to enhance drugs by "dialing-in" their desired pharmacokinetics. In addition to its metallo-levodopa compound for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, the company has discovered and is developing MCP's to treat unmet medical needs in areas such as cancer, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, congestive heart failure and influenza. Synthonics, Inc

About the Michael J. Fox Foundation

The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to ensuring the development of better treatments, and ultimately a cure, for Parkinson's disease through an aggressively funded research agenda. MJFF has funded nearly $187 million in research to date. MichaelJFox.org


March 24, 2010
Synthonics adds Charles R. Walgreen to its Business Advisory Board
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October 27, 2009
Synthonics adds John Borling as Chairman of their Business Advisory Board:

John Borling is Chairman of Performance Consulting Group (PCG), an integrated energy services company, providing conservation solutions to larger private and public entities. He is a retired Air Force Major General and brings worldwide executive experience at highest levels of staff and command to identify and further strategy, planning and business objectives for the company. Additionally, General Borling is the founder and CEO of SOS America (Service Over Self), a national organization advocating one-year of military service for America's youth (18-26). He was also a Director (Audit and Nominating Committees) of HyperFeed Technologies (HYPRC), a provider of financial exchange services and platforms; and an advisor to AusAm Biotechnology, a producer of kidney and cardiovascular diagnostics and anti viral inhibitors, Stanton Chase Int., an executive search firm, and Fifth Media, a community-broadcasting network. Previously, as President/CEO of Chicago's United Way, he led a rebound of interest and an annual campaign exceeding $95.0 million.


October 27, 2009
Synthonics presented at the Mid-Atlantic Bio Conference in Washington D.C. 2009 Presenting Companies Announced by Mid-Atlantic Bio Conference! Twenty-Four Companies Selected from across the Mid-Atlantic Region. Nine later-stage growth companies and 15 emerging companies (Synthonics) will present at the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Bio Conference . Companies selected represent the biotech, biopharmaceutical drug development and discovery, devices, and vaccine sectors. Presenting companies were chosen through an industry review process with input from more than 40 investment institutions and industry professionals.


September 15, 2009
Synthonics Awarded NIH Grant

The National Institute of Health and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has awarded Synthonics a grant for its application entitle "Levodopa Pharmacokinetic Optimization by Metal Coordination." Synthonics will use the funds from the grant to formulate a continuous release version of the prodrug levodopa with the goal of optimizing its therapeutic effect.

"Our first grant award from the NIH is a confirmation that our novel metal coordinated pharmaceutical (MCP) chemistry has commercialization potential" said Kenneth J. Slepicka, CEO of Synthonics. "Our team, who all helped in preparing a quality proposal, are excited to pursue this project, which will help both to advance our chemistry and to address the need for an oral levodopa product that provides steady, continuous blood levels. We hope that this is the first of many grant awards as we have two other favorably reviewed applications awaiting funding decisions."



June 23, 2009
Synthonics Accepted Into Lilly's PD2 Testing Program

On June 23, 2009 Synthonics was accepted into Eli Lilly's competitive PD2 (Phenotypic Drug Discovery) program. Lilly's PD2 program is a collaborative research program that will accept compounds from institutions and provide the necessary testing to fully evaluate the compound as a potential drug candidate. Once testing is completed, Lilly evaluates the data and determines whether to initiate discussions on a possible collaboration. Synthonics has several metal coordinated pharmaceuticals ready for testing by Lilly that are within Lilly's drug development focus.


A description of Lilly's PD2 program:


Phenotypic drug discovery provides an alternative approach that begins by querying more complex cellular systems instead of specific targets. The possible advantage resides in the fact that a relevant biological context is interrogated without predisposed bias toward mechanism(s). Thus an opportunity is created to identify compounds that may interact with one or more targets or pathways not anticipated by a single mechanism-driven hypothesis. In essence, phenotypic approaches screen multiple mechanisms and targets simultaneously. Furthermore, since the initial readouts from cellular assays are more information-rich, the connection of compound action to disease-relevant phenotypes is established earlier in the drug discovery process. The challenge with phenotypic drug discovery ultimately lies in the complexity of fully understanding and assessing compound differentiation and elucidating with greater resolution the possible mechanisms of action. Fortunately, this complexity has been substantially reduced with the development of advanced assay technologies and informatics tools that make these challenges tractable for drug discovery.