Tampa, Fla. (June 9, 2005) - Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. (OTCBB: NNBP) (“Nanobac” or “the Company”) announced today a multi-center collaboration involving researchers from Nanobac Life Sciences, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, to study kidney stone formation. The multi-disciplinary team will apply the same type of instrumentation used to analyze moon rocks and particles collected from space to analyze mineralized particles and stones collected from kidney stone patients.
Little progress has been made during the last 50 years in understanding kidney stone formation. However, researchers from Nanobac have shown that virtually all kidney stones contain Calcifying Nano-Particles, also referred to as “Nanobacteria”. Nanobac researchers have also shown that these particles are powerful mediators of plaque formation and stones. The direct injection of Nanobacteria into rat kidneys resulted in stone formation in the nanobacteria-injected kidney during one month follow-up. The multi-disciplinary team will attempt to find early events in stone formation and to verify whether Calcifying Nano-Particles are the initiators of kidney stone formation.
“This collaboration is unique as it brings together Nanobac’s expertise in Calcifying Nano-Particles, with one of the leading urologists in the field of kidney stone disease, Dr. Marshall Stoller from UCSF. Through Nanobac’s Space Act Agreement with NASA, Dr. Neva Ciftcioglu, Nanobac’s researcher at NASA, and a team of biomaterial researchers, headed by Dr. David McKay, will apply some of the world’s most sophisticated instruments for studying mineralized samples,” stated Grant Carlson, Nanobac’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “This collaboration could have far reaching implications for the 1 person in 10 that develops kidney stones in their lifetime.”
“Although urinary stones comprise the third most common disease of the urinary tract, the underlying cause still remains a mystery,” commented Dr. Marshall Stoller, Vice Chairman, Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco. “This is a rare opportunity to apply some of the most advanced geological analysis technologies, previously used to study lunar samples, to study mineralized particles from diseased tissues.”
NASA says previous data show that astronauts are at increased risk for kidney stones as the result of longer missions and the physiological effects of space. “There could be serious health consequences for an astronaut who develops a kidney stone during a space flight, and it could also harm the mission,” stated Dr. Jeffrey Jones, urologist and NASA Flight Surgeon. “By applying technologies from the material sciences, we hope to solve a medical mystery. What is the underlying cause of kidney stones and can they be prevented? The answer to those questions will have a significant impact to Americans and to astronaut health on extended space missions.”
The economic costs of kidney stones are enormous. In the U.S., more than half a million people will develop kidney stones this year and 7 to 10 of every 1,000 hospital admissions are due to kidney stones. Men appear to be afflicted with kidney stones more often than women, with the ratio being about 3 to 1. In addition, those who develop kidney stones have a 50% risk of having another stone within 5-10 years. Caucasian patients are affected by kidney stones more than African American patients, and the maximum incidence occurs in the 30-50 year old age group.
Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. is dedicated to improving people’s health through the detection and eradication of Calcifying Nano-Particles, also referred to as “Nanobacteria”. The Company’s pioneering research is establishing the pathogenic role of Nanobacteria in soft tissue calcification, particularly in coronary artery heart disease, prostatitis and vascular disease.
Nanobac has identified and established two biomarkers of nanobacterial infection, and expects to file for FDA approval of its NB2(TM) ELISA assays to detect nanobacterial antigen and IgG antibody. It is also leveraging its proprietary knowledge and intellectual property to develop novel therapeutics to treat nanobacterial infections. The Company currently markets a patented nanobiotic regimen and has developed tests to detect Nanobacteria in blood, serum, tissues, urine and spinal fluids. Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. For more information, please visit our websites at: http://www.nanobaclifesciences.com or http://www.nanobacsciences.com.
Investors are cautioned that certain statements contained in this document as well as some statements in periodic press releases and some oral statements of Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. officials are "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act). Forward-Looking statements include statements which are predictive in nature, which depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, which include words such as "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions. In addition, any statements concerning future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, and possible future Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. actions, which may be provided by management, are also forward-looking statements as defined by the Act. Forward-Looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and to vary significantly from reporting period to reporting period. Although management believes that the assumptions will, in fact, prove to be correct or that actual future results will not be different from the expectations expressed in this report. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. has no specific intention to update these statements.