Oragenics, Inc. Enters into Collaboration with Florida International University to Expand Its Pipeline of Lantibiotics

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TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oragenics, Inc. (NYSE American:OGEN), a leader in the development of new antibiotics against infectious diseases and effective treatments for oral mucositis (“OM”), today announced the initiation of a collaboration with Florida International University (FIU) to create computational models of the company’s lantibiotic compounds interacting with bacterial membranes and Lipid II, the target of Oragenics’ compounds with the ultimate goal of expanding the lantibiotic pipeline.

“We are regularly seeking to optimize treatment with our lantibiotic compounds and believe that this collaboration will help to best understand the way our lantibiotics interact with bacteria, thus enabling us to rationally design novel analogs with improved antimicrobial and/or pharmacological properties,” stated Alan Joslyn, Ph.D., President and CEO of Oragenics, Inc. “We are particularly enthusiastic to be collaborating with Florida International University’s team and look forward to sharing outcomes from our efforts and to introducing additional therapies that may include Gram-negative infections as a result of these models.”

The collaboration will develop and refine new computational models for studying lantibiotics as they interact with both Lipid II, the membrane or their host, and each other. The company then anticipates using this new model toward the development of new compounds that address life-threatening infections.

Dr. Yuk-Ching Tse-Dinh, director of FIU’s Biomolecular Sciences Institute and Translational Molecular Discoveries, commented, “This collaboration will advance both basic and translational knowledge relevant for finding much needed new treatments for superbugs. A major goal of the Translational Molecular Discoveries, an emerging preeminent program at FIU, is to establish a partnership between FIU faculty and industry so that the scientific discoveries made at FIU can impact disease treatment.”

About Oragenics, Inc.

Oragenics is focused on becoming a leader in novel antibiotics against infectious disease and on developing effective treatments for oral mucositis. The company has established two exclusive worldwide channel collaborations with Intrexon Corporation and its subsidiaries. The collaborations allow Oragenics to accelerate the development of much needed new antibiotics that can work against resistant strains of bacteria and the development of biotherapeutics for oral mucositis and other diseases and conditions of the oral cavity, throat, and esophagus.

For more information about Oragenics, please visit www.oragenics.com.

Safe Harbor Statement: Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current views with respect to future events and performance. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and information currently available. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project” and similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Investors should be cautious in relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Oragenics assumes no responsibility to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release or with respect to the matters described herein.

Oragenics, Inc.
Corporate:
Michael Sullivan, 813-286-7900
Chief Financial Officer
msullivan@oragenics.com
or
Investors:
John Marco
Managing Director
CORE IR
310-819-2948
johnm@coreir.com

Media:
Jules Abraham
CORE IR
917-885-7378
julesa@coreir.com

Source: Oragenics, Inc.

Released March 27, 2019