The focus is on creating and establishing technologies and building intellectual property protection around them. We maintain an interactive relationship with our marketing experts to ensure that we have correctly identified our research and development focus.

We focus on oncology, immunology, inflammatory conditions, and vaccination. We are encouraged by the potential in our oligomodulator platform and the opportunities that it presents for further development in terms of anticancer activity, non-specific immune stimulant and vaccine adjuvant technology.

We capitalize on in-house exploratory programs, and we innovate in leveraging our platform technologies, such as mycobacterial cell walls and oligomodulators, to new applications. When it comes to cancer, the impact of treatment on the quality of life is a major concern. We strive to improve the quality of life of these individuals.

Molecular and cellular biology are the tools of our trade. We are a Company with a mandate to generate commercialized products. We use these tools to explore innovative ways to treat disease.

It is leading to effective and safe treatments for a number of diseases where current therapies are less than satisfactory.

We have made a number of major discoveries in the six years since Bioniche Therapeutics (the Human Health business unit that oversees research and development) was established. These include:

• The unique ability of Mycobacterial Cell Wall-DNA Complex (MCC) to directly kill cancer cells by inducing apoptosis.
• Identifying within the DNA of Mycobacterium phlei sequences with powerful immune stimulant and anticancer activity.
• The observation that contaminating material in hyaluronan preparations can give rise to inflammatory cytokine production has led to the definition of a cleaner hyaluronan preparation.
• MCC's effectiveness against cancer cells that are multi-drug resistant and/or mutated.

Yes, these discoveries have been patented. This is one of the reasons to conduct research and development. Obtaining intellectual property protection provides a means to commercialize products without interference. We have multiple patents surrounding our cancer, anti-inflammatory, immune modulation, and combination chemotherapy products/treatments.

The discovery of the unique mechanism of action of MCC has been our most exciting discovery. It provides the basis for strong intellectual property protection and expands the perception of what mycobacterial cell walls can do. It has given a new lease of life to an old, established technology.

The work began in the early 1980s, with technology that was licensed in to the Company. It was poorly understood at the time. Our identification of the direct, chemotherapy-like activity of mycobacterial cell walls, which we traced to the DNA associated with the cell walls, has led to the development of Mycobacterial Cell Wall-DNA Complex (MCC). MCC is being utilized to treat bladder and prostate cancer, and has been shown to have potential in treating a range of other cancers.

Bioniche's strength has been in the development of this technology - being careful and innovative in selecting and preparing the material to ensure an optimal level of purity. Through our internal research and development team, we are now expanding the potential applications of HA, including consideration of its use in the development of cancer treatments.

Oligodeoxyribonucleotides are short fragments of DNA. We were the first research group to identify that very short oligodeoxyribonucleotide sequences possessed multiple biological activities (immune stimulant and anticancer).

Our ability to develop vaccine adjuvants provides a means to improve the quality and efficacy of many vaccines.

We are further characterizing the mechanism of action of MCC and are currently evaluating the impact of multi-drug resistance on its ability to kill cancer cells. We continue to explore the potential of MCC for the treatment of other cancers and will shortly be developing the oligodeoxyribonucleotide platform.

Our team is integrated, working together to provide the synergy that is essential to our work. We have the appropriate critical mass in key disciplines that gives us great effectiveness in our work.

I was initially attracted by the opportunity to develop mycobacterial cell walls as therapeutic entities for cancer. I was also struck by Bioniche's commitment to develop products based on this technology, and by the Company's openness in allowing research and development to impact on commercial applications. A bonus has been the identification of oligodeoxyribonucleotides as a second technology platform that offers considerable potential for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. It has truly been a team effort.