VGX Pharmaceuticals' Novel HIV and Pandemic Influenza DNA Vaccine Candidates Trigger Robust Immune Responses and Protection in Pre-Clinical Models
VGX scientists created four synthetic consensus DNA vaccines to protect against a lethal Vietnamese H5N1strain of avian influenza in mice. One of the vaccines resulted in complete protection of mice from death and illness of the challenge while 2 others had 60-80% protective effects. All of the vaccines were delivered using VGX's proprietary CELLECTRA(TM) DNA Delivery Device. CELLECTRA(TM) is a novel adaptive electroporation device developed by VGX. The avian flu data was presented by Dr. Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, VGX Vice President, Immune Therapeutics Research.
Separately at the opening plenary session, Professor David B. Weiner of the University of Pennsylvania, Conference Chairman and a Co-founder of VGX, presented new data showing extensive T-cell mediated immune responses to VGX's HIV vaccine candidates delivered with CELLECTRA(TM) in non-human primates. Most notably, the monkeys immunized with VGX vaccines displayed HIV-specific T cell responses as much as 10-20 fold greater than those reported in the literature using other vaccine modalities. Induction of high levels of T cell immune responses, especially the CD8+ Killer T cell responses, has long been thought to be important for developing a successful vaccine for HIV.
VGX plans to conduct further preclinical studies for both the HIV and Avian Flu vaccines, including the IND-enabling toxicology studies in 2007.
From the conference in Malaga, Spain, Dr. J. Joseph Kim, President and CEO of VGX, commented, "Our data demonstrates the potential of our DNA vaccine approaches in addressing these significant global health problems. We plan to further collaborate with experts and leading organizations in the field in order to advance our promising clinical programs forward."
About VGX Pharmaceuticals
VGX Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company with small molecules and biologics product candidates for the treatment of infectious diseases, cancer and inflammatory diseases. The Company's clinical development programs include PICTOVIR(TM) for HIV infection and VGX-410C for chronic HCV infection, both of which are currently in Phase II clinical trials. In addition, Phase I clinical trials will be initiated in 2007 for VGX-150 for the treatment of Melanoma and VGX-1027 for inflammatory diseases. VGX's research pipelines include new generation of DNA vaccines and therapeutics as well as CELLECTRA(TM), a proprietary DNA delivery device. The product candidates and technology programs are protected by the Company's extensive global intellectual property portfolio. More information about VGX can be found at www.vgxp.com.
Contact
VGX Pharmaceuticals
Kevin W. Rassas, 267-440-4208
Senior Vice President
Fax: 267-440-4242
Rassas@vgxp.com
www.vgxp.com
Posted: May 2007
