QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 10 /CNW/ - Medicago USA Inc., a wholly owned
subsidiary of Medicago Inc. (TSX: MDG) a biotechnology company focused
on developing highly effective and competitive vaccines based on
proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles (VLPs),
announced today that it has been awarded US$244,279 in funding under
the Internal Revenue Service's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project
("QTDP").
This program was created under the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act of 2010 to provide tax credits or grants to qualified
investments in therapeutic discovery projects during tax years 2009 and
2010. The projects were selected by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services' (HHS) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and
Development Authority (BARDA) based on criteria of innovative
technologies and important therapeutic vaccines for the U.S.A.
"We are very pleased to have received the maximum grant amount allowable
for a single project. This further recognizes the importance of our
innovative rapid and cost-effective VLP plant-based vaccine
technology," said Andy Sheldon, President and CEO of Medicago. "These
funds will further facilitate the development of our U.S. vaccine
facility."
About Medicago
Medicago is committed to provide highly effective and competitive
vaccines based on proprietary Virus-Like Particle (VLP) and
manufacturing technologies. Medicago is developing VLP vaccines to
protect against H5N1 pandemic influenza, using a transient expression
system which produces recombinant vaccine antigens in non-transgenic
plants. This technology has potential to offer advantages of speed and
cost over competitive technologies. It could deliver a vaccine for
testing in about a month after the identification and reception of
genetic sequences from a pandemic strain. This production time frame
has the potential to allow vaccination of the population before the
first wave of a pandemic strikes and to supply large volumes of vaccine
antigens to the world market. Additional information about Medicago is
available at www.medicago.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are
based upon current expectations, which involve risks and uncertainties
associated with Medicago's business and the environment in which the
business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not
statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking,
including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe",
"plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", and similar expressions to the
extent they relate to Medicago or its management. The forward-looking
statements are not historical facts, but reflect Medicago's current
expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking
statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current
expectations, including the matters discussed under "Risks Factors and
Uncertainties" in Medicago's Annual Information Form filed on March 24,
2010 with the regulatory authorities. Medicago assumes no obligation to
update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why
actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking
statements.
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