Monday, May 19, 2008

NanoViricides' EKC Eye Drug Demonstrates Significant Therapeutic Efficacy in Initial Animal Trials

Monday May 19, 7:00 am ET

First Treatment Success against a Non-Enveloped Virus

WEST HAVEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NanoViricides, Inc. (OTC BB: NNVC.OB) (the “Company”), said that it has received positive initial results from the animal trials of its drug candidates for the treatment of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC), a severe viral infection of the eye. Evidence of significant effectiveness was clinically observed in treated infected eyes.

“We were very pleased with the rapid response to treatment, and we had the opportunity to observe the excellent clinical response ourselves,” said Eugene Seymour, MD, MPH, CEO of the Company. “The clinical results we observed are far superior to any data reported in the literature,” said Anil R. Diwan, PhD, President of the Company.

The EKC study which is designed with a duration of four weeks, is currently in progress at a major medical center. Analysis of biological samples is expected to take several weeks following the completion of the study. The Company plans to make preliminary results available publicly as they are obtained.

There are approximately 5 million cases annually of this disease in the US, Europe and Japan. No adequate treatment exists at present. The infection causes severe pain, blurriness of vision and occasional blindness. While the Company currently has no approved product for the treatment of EKC and viral conjunctivitis, the Company projects the market for EKC and viral conjunctivitis may be several billion dollars annually.

The Company has now shown that two of its broad-spectrum nanoviricide drug candidates have excellent efficacies against substantially different virus types. We have now shown these nanoviricides to be very effective against certain non-enveloped viruses such as the EKC-causing adenovirus. Previously we have shown them to be highly effective against common influenza, bird flu (H5N1), rabies, and Ebola virus.

About NanoViricides:

NanoViricides, Inc. (www.nanoviricides.com) is a development stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for viral therapy. The Company's novel nanoviricide™ class of drug candidates are designed to specifically attack enveloped virus particles and to dismantle them. The Company is developing drugs against a number of viral diseases including H5N1 bird flu, seasonal influenza, HIV, EKC, hepatitis C, rabies, dengue fever, and Ebola virus, among others.

Contact:

NanoViricides, Inc.
Amanda Schuon, 310-550-7200
info@nanoviricides.com

Source: NanoViricides, Inc.

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