'Aiea biotech firm helps fight dengue

By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Writer

The article, titled "Structure of the dengue virus envelope protein after membrane fusion," essentially describes how the virus fuses with and enters human cells. The research is significant because other viruses such as West Nile and yellow fever likely attack human cells the same way, said David Watumull, president and chief executive for Hawaii Biotech.

That means the research could help develop vaccines as well as drugs designed to fight the diseases. Hawaii Biotech provided synthetic dengue protein for the research, which was done in collaboration with the Harvard Medical School.

In addition to peer recognition for those involved, the article provides exposure for the state's fledgling biotech industry.

"A lot of people say you can't do this from Hawai'i," Watumull said. "This is an example that you can."

'Aiea-based Hawaii Biotech, a privately held biopharmaceutical company, was founded in 1982 by nine University of Hawai'i professors.

The article in Nature magazine's issue being circulated today is among the biggest splashes for local research since 1998, when Nature devoted three articles to UH work on cloned mice.

Reach Sean Hao at shao@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8093.