Singapore: Australian vaccine development company BioDiem has been grated a key European patent for its synthetic antimicrobial compound BDM-I. BDM-I is a novel compound active against a range of pathogenic micro-organisms including bacteria, fungi and protozoa. The patent provides protection for BDM-I as a treatment for vulvovaginitis, a general term for inflammation of the vulva or vagina.

BioDiem has entered into an agreement with the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). The USAMRIID is undertaking preclinical studies to screen for BDM-I's activity in vitro against a range of disease-causing agents.

BioDiem is using NIAID's In Vitro Assessment for Antimicrobial Activity Service to assess BDM-I's activity in vitro. Results are encouraging and BioDiem will discuss with NIAID the potential to use NIAID's Animal Models of Infectious Disease Service to further evaluate BDM-I's activity.

The target markets of antifungals and antibacterials are both extremely large with the market for antifungals estimated to reach $11.3 billion in 2014 and the market for anti-infectives generally forecast to exceed $100 billion by 2015. The continued rise in antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has led to significant interest in such compounds.

BioDiem CEO Julie Phillips said: "We are pleased to secure this key patent for BDM-I. Europe is of course a major regulatory market and this addition to the BDM-I package helps de-risk the asset as a licensing target, increasing its value to BioDiem. The novel antimicrobial space is a highly desirable area for development, and we are pleased to see the accumulation of independent evidence for BDM-I's broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. We believe this will widen the number of parties potentially interested in licensing BDM-I".