Mothers who initially become infected with CMV during pregnancy can transmit the virus to their unborn children. Infants born with CMV infection can be affected by blindness, deafness, and mental retardation, which are frequently undiagnosed until the child reaches several years of age.

The second product in our CMV franchise is CyMVectin™, our prophylactic vaccine intended to elicit protective immunity in women before they become pregnant, thereby preventing the possibility of transmitting CMV to the fetus during pregnancy. We believe the market potential for our CyMVectin™ vaccine is significant, with more than 20 million CMV-seronegative women of childbearing age in the United States alone.

We have designed a Phase 1 trial of CyMVectin™, and the Investigational New Drug application has been allowed by the FDA, clearing the path for us to move forward with this program. We are exploring the best way to advance, whether independently or with a corporate partner.