BY NICOLE A. ELLIOTT Staff Writer

Dr. Philip Domenico

The antimicrobial compounds developed by a former Roman have recently been given a special designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Microbion Corporation of Bozeman, Mont., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company that focuses on the development of products for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections and control of microbial biofilms, has announced that the FDA has designated BisEDT Antimicrobial Gel as a Qualified Infectious Disease Product for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant orthopedic implant infections, developed by 61-year-old Dr. Philip Domenico.

Domenico, who was born in Syracuse, graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1970 and went on to graduate from Mohawk Valley Community College in 1972 and SUNY-Albany in 1975 with a major in biology/psychology.

Domenico got his doctorate from the University of Texas schools in 1983, and did two post-doctorates, one at Rockefeller University and the other at Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans.

He became a research director of infectious disease at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, Long Island in 1987.

Domenico was also an adjunct associate professor at Stony Brook School of Medicine.

Domenico invented Bismuth thiols, or BTs, in 1994 and is currently a consultant with Microbion Biosciences.

The designation given to Microbion by the FDA provides the company with regulatory and market exclusivity incentives designed to actively promote the development of new antibiotics to treat antibiotic-resistant infections. The antibiotic-resident organisms are often referred to as "superbugs."

A limited number of companies nationwide have been awarded the new designation, and Microbion is the sole company to have publicly announced that it has been awarded QIDP designation for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant orthopedic infections.

"We seek to develop a products that will save lives around the globe that would otherwise be lost to antibiotic-resistant infections," said Dr. Brett Baker, Microbion’s founder, president, and CEO.

"The CDC’s recent report entitled, ‘Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States 2013,’ provides a grim perspective on the shocking number of antibiotic-resistant infections that now plague our country. The CDC reports that in the U.S. each year, at least 2 million people are infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria, directly causing at least 23,000 deaths," he said.

"Many more people die each year as a result of other serious conditions that are complicated by antibiotic-resistant infections," Baker added. .

BisEDT is a member of a new class of antimicrobial agents that in preclinical studies have shown potent activity against a broad spectrum of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and potent activity against microbial biofilms.

"The clinical need to meet the challenge of a whole new class of resistant pathogens infecting implantable devices is enormous. In orthopedics, there is a need for innovative new drugs that can combat hardware related infections and prevent catastrophic and costly complications," said Dr. Saam Morshed, director of Clinical Research, Orthopaedic Trauma Institute, University of California, San Francisco.

"I am deeply pleased to see the FDA recognizing this drug candidate for its ability to overcome antibiotic resistance," Domenico, original inventor of Microbion’s propriety compounds, said.

Domenico is the son of the late Sebastian and Antoinette Domenico of River Street.

Domenico added that he still has several family members living in the Rome/Utica area, including: Anita Moonan, Frank Domenico, Sebastian Domenico Jr., Paul Domenico, and Orin Domenico.

Dying To Live Again

We all gave at the Office

Wasted years of Service

Slave for others’ Pleasures

Pinned to ordered Space

We came to a clear Ending

Crumpled city Roadmaps

Trampled baseless Notions

Gaining formless Mass

We stopped before we started

Began a new Beginning

Woke to every Waking

Merging Birth and Death

We tripped the onset Lever

Undoing the Refolding

Becoming the Unmolding

Ever springing Fall

We had to come full Circle

Back and forward Flowing

Committing and Disowning

Once again Again

Philmore and Lola’s 2011 Trip
January 4^th – flew from NY to Texas
Houston
Cooper (Gloria’s 2-yo great nephew) dubs Phil “Philmore”
Max (Glo’s 3-yo great nephew) and Cooper playing in park, dancing
Music at Volcano and The Big Easy with Nelia
University of Houston – Dr. Chellam
Austin
Stayed at Z’s – Bob, Linda, Katie
Went to see The Fighter – Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg
Scott’s bday party – single malts, glenlevit 18, jokes/charades
Esther and Lawrence and Bob and Linda – Mex food then Scott and Lulu’s
San Antonio
Rental car to SA
Ate Burritos at Freebird – organic from A&M
Cristy’s house, Dani’s apartment
Wild Fish for happy hour with Dani
Stayed at Tony and Cris’ with 14 cats
Cooked for Deddy’s bday
Worked on Deddy’s book at Tony’s office
Ate Greek food with Patrick, Tony, Cris and Levi
Tucson – the Sonoran Desert
Drove to SA from Laredo with Yleana – flew to Tucson
First nite – ate at Sinbad’s – Middle Eastern near UofA on University Road
Hiked West Saguaro National Park – Tucson Mountains
Drinks at Hotel Congress - $5 single malts – Glenmorangie Astar
Hiked Sabino Canyon – Santa Catalina Mountain Range – in the Coronado National Forest, rock hopping as we crossed the river there 7 times
Stopped at Safeway in Marana where Gabrielle Gifford’s memorial was displayed
Drove to Sedona – through Tonto National Forest
Walked through town and were disappointed with all the shopping – commercialism
Saw the sunset in Sedona off airport road – Lookout Point
Ate at Chocolatree – raw food restaurant
Went to Old Sedona Café for life Music by Out of the Box.  Partied with locals
Shopped at New Frontiers Health Store
Flagstaff
Walked on Route 66 and around Old town.  Shopped at New Frontiers Health Store.
Grand Canyon
Went into GC Park through Desert View Road and stopped at several vistas along the way to GC Village.
Had a drink at El Tovar hotel
Saw the sunset over the canyon – got cold and windy
Stayed at Grand Hotel in Tusayan.  Saw a corny singing cowboy at hotel restaurant – not much going on.  Bad food.
Phoenix/Scottsdale
Unexpected surprise – learned Ernie Moyer lives in Phx with his wife Sandy.
They had us over for dinner and to watch the Steelers and Jets playoff.
Next morning hiked Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale.
SA Part II
Out to Wild Fish for HH with Cristy, and her friend Ashley and Patrick, Jeanne, Juli, Tony, Dani.  Cristy’s car broke down.  Then to Blue Agave for one final drink with Cristy, Patrick and Ashley.
New York
Miraculously made it back to NYC between 2 storms.  Our original flight was cancelled as were 2 others into the city before ours.  Only our rebooked flight was not cancelled.  We made it in 5 minutes early! Flights were canceled for 12 hours thereafter.
Great trip. Stayed warm while New York had one of its coldest, wettest winters on record. 

Winter’s Veneer

Primal white tempest
The season’s late offer
A draping of people
In powdered repose

Tiny cold crystals
As eager winged creatures
Descending like velvet
On shelters we chose

Coldest among them
On slippery pavement
A stranger’s swift passing
No bosom exposed

Biting March wind chills
Lay claim to the fragile
Who pray for illusions
To bury their nose

Thin-layered buttress
That seals off the seasons
The spring, your prime weakness
Will beckon the rose

Compassion and Self-Hate   by Philip Domenico 

About a book with the same name,
From disciples of Freud and Jung, who say
That hatred mirrors unworthiness
And solutions are found in the heart 

Burdened with self-hate to some degree or more,
Projected inward or outward, rendered fat or thin,
Cursed with perfection, hysteria, jealousy, guilt,
Trapped in repetition, numbness, despair 

It stems from constraints and discontents
From losing the battle of wills with elders
From stories made up as children
And reinforced in collective conspiracies 

Despite the damage done
A path leads out of darkness and illusion
Paved with compassion and forgiveness
Into a fertile field of possibility 

Dispute I say, dispute!
Any dagger or insult that comes your way
Above all those from your own factory
Forged from fear, greed, anger and ignorance 

Compassion directed inward
Fills the spirit to flow freely outward
Diverting the eyes to beauty and wonder
In service to greater gods
 

(Inspired by Theodore Isaac Rubin’s 1975 book; Winter 2009-10)