MENLO PARK, Calif., March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development organization, will present preliminary results of a diagnostic to detect neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) at the 239th National Meeting & Exhibition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) being held on March 21-25 in San Francisco.

NTDs are a group of infections that most commonly affect extremely poor people living in remote rural areas, urban slums, and places of political conflict.  They can adversely affect life expectancy, child development, pregnancy, quality of life, and worker productivity, and are a major reason many cannot escape extreme poverty.

At the ACS meeting, SRI researchers will disclose preliminary results involving the use of a small molecule sensor dye that can detect a metabolite specific to the parasites that cause three NTDs: Chagas, Leishmaniasis, and African Sleeping Sickness. This detectable metabolite is critical for the parasites' survival and is not found in humans.

"Early detection would provide important benefits to patients suffering from NTDs, particularly since many of the drugs used to treat late-stage infections are highly toxic with potentially fatal side effects," said Mary Tanga, Ph.D., senior director of medicinal chemistry in SRI's Biosciences Division. "We are working to develop a low-cost, simple tool that can facilitate detection at a stage when less toxic treatments can be used."

To meet with SRI Biosciences at ACS 2010, visit booth #1412.

About SRI's Biosciences Division

SRI's Biosciences Division carries out basic research, drug discovery, and drug development, and provides contract services. SRI has all of the resources necessary to take R&D from Idea to IND® — from initial discovery to the start of human clinical trials — and specializes in cancer, immunology and inflammation, infectious disease, and neuroscience. SRI's product pipeline has yielded marketed drugs, therapeutics currently in clinical trials, and additional programs in earlier stages. In its CRO business, SRI has helped government and other clients and partners advance well over 100 drugs into patient testing. SRI is also working to create the next generation of technologies in areas such as diagnostics, drug delivery, medical devices, and systems biology.

About SRI International

Silicon Valley-based SRI International is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. SRI, which was founded by Stanford University as Stanford Research Institute in 1946 and became independent in 1970, has been meeting the strategic needs of clients and partners for more than 60 years. Perhaps best known for its invention of the computer mouse and interactive computing, SRI has also been responsible for major advances in networking and communications, robotics, drug discovery and development, advanced materials, atmospheric research, education research, economic development, national security, and more. The nonprofit institute performs sponsored research and development for government agencies, businesses, and foundations. SRI also licenses its technologies, forms strategic alliances, and creates spin-off companies. In 2009, SRI's consolidated revenues, including its wholly owned for-profit subsidiary, Sarnoff Corporation, were approximately $470 million.

SOURCE SRI International

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