Singapore: Australian infectious disease therapy development company BioDiem has been granted a key Japanese patent for antimicrobial compound, BDM-I. The compund acts against a range of pathogenic micro-organisms including bacteria, fungi and protozoa. The new Japanese patent acknowledges BDM-I as a treatment for vulvovaginitis, a general term for inflammation of the vulva or vagina.

Specifically, the patent covers BDM-I as an antimicrobial compound for vulvovaginitis caused by a number of bacterial, fungal and parasitic agents such as Neisseria gonorrhoea, Candida albicans or Trichomonas vaginalis. C.albicans is one of the most common causes of yeast infections and is commonly referred to as thrush. N.gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhoea, and T.vaginalisis is the most common sexually transmitted protozoan infection in industrialized countries. Infection with T.vaginalis has been correlated with reproductive issues and increased susceptibility to a range of other health issues, including infection with HIV.

BioDiem CEO Ms Julie Phillips, said that, "We are pleased to secure yet another key patent for BDM-I. Japan is a major regulatory market and successful granting of a Japanese patent is a milestone for BDM-I's protection. Along with our recently initiated research project with Griffith University exploring new variants of BDM-I with enhanced commercial characteristics, this is a good progression of the BDM-I package."

BioDiem has been actively accelerating its development of BDM-I through reputable partnerships such as with the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), US, and the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), while retaining full commercial and intellectual property rights for the work conducted.

Currently BioDiem is progressing further validation of BDM-I's antimicrobial activity through in vivo proof-of-concept testing in models of target diseases including fungal, bacterial and parasitic models (schistosomiasis); conducting further studies to explore the scope of BDM-I's indications with expanded screening studies, and embarking on a new project in collaboration with Griffith University.