BPIStOl tasoratories inc

SYRACUSE 1,NEW YORK

November 1, 1957

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
50? Bugenia Avenue
Madison 5, Wisconsin

Dear Joshua:

I was very much interested in your last communication. We have had a
viral program of sorts going here primarily from a screening point of
view, We did, in fact, screen antibiotic broths and a large variety of
synthetics against PR8 in mice and also for their ability to inhibit
hemagglutination by PR8 when given either before or concomitant with the
virus. This work was done a few years ago and I asked George Hunt who
was responsible for it to review his results. Apparently there were some
synthetics that had the properties of preventing hemagglutination but
when these were checked in vivo no effects were found. I am in the
process of getting the details of the testing procedure and results.

I have been quite interested in this area since I read Gottschalx's
review some time ago, I cannot but help feel that there are certain
features in common with the properdin system. We have started a nominal
amount of work using a properdin assay based on inactivation of T2 phage.
Clinical studies by others indicate that during extensive bacteremia or
tissue damage the properdin level is substantially lowered. Prolonged low
levels indicate a very poor prognosis. Whether this is cause or effect
cannot be determined ag yet. I think it is very lixely that the decrease
in properdin is due to inactivation of one or more of its components by a
high molecular weight inhibitor released during the trauma from either
bacterial cells or tissue. I visualize a binding such as is obtained
with zymosan. We may have here an analogy to the combination of PRS and
receptor sites. We are in the process of checking whether the same types
of structures are involved by determining if the properdin inactivation
system is destroyed by RDE, I would very much like to talk over this
general area and review our results with you.
Dr. Joshua Lederberg -~2 = November 1, 1957

We have been quite busy this summer working on a Japanese antibiotic to
which we have exclusive rights. In order to evaluate it we had to get it
out in substantial quantities and this tied up a lot of people. It's too
early to say how good it is but we have our fingers crossed, It's mainly a
question of thereapeutic ratio at this point. We are also interested in one
that our program turned up which we call Telomycin. It will go into the
clinic soon,

I had not realized that you and Esther were going around the world in your
trip. I am certainly looking forward to your Kedachromes. I think I will
be in @ position to partially reciprocate for I will in all probability be
maxing a trip to Japan in January.

Let me know when you get settled down again in Madison. If you will be

making a trip Hast, then try to include us in for I would like some of my
people in on the virus discussions, Also, have you given any thought to
my suggestion concerning our support of a laboratory assistant?

Starting the next period we are planning to increase your stipend $1000
per year. No further committments other than those previously agreed upon
are implied.

Sincerely,

BRISTOL LABORATORIES INC.

seph Lein, Director
Microbiology Research

JL:eb