"Dr. Lewis is at the forefront of research in his field to find a treatment for type 1 diabetes and we're very excited that BGU is exporting its pioneering research once again to the U.S.," says Doron Krakow, executive vice president of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. "We wish Eli success with the trials and hope that his findings lead to a cure for a disease that affects millions of people around the world."

The Phase I/II clinical trial is being sponsored by OMNI Biopharma (OTCBB:OMTB) at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes and other units at the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado, Denver (UCD). OMNI Biopharma (OMNI) has licensed patent applications related to the method of use of AAT for the treatment of diabetes from the Regents of the University of Colorado and a privately held corporation. Dr. Lewis is on OMNI's scientific advisory board.

In conjunction with the receipt of the IND clearance, OMNI has an agreement with a body of UCD and the Barbara Davis Center to conduct the clinical trial, which OMNI expects to commence during the third quarter of 2010. Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr. Charles Dinarello, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at UCD, leads OMNI. Dr. Dinarello is considered a founding father of cytokine biology. For additional information, please visit www.omnibiopharma.

Source: American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev