VIENNA, Va., April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CEL-SCI CORPORATION
(Amex: CVM) announced today that its CEL-1000 peptide showed adjuvant
activity when used with a peptide based malaria vaccine and a DNA based
malaria vaccine in animal challenge studies as part of a Cooperative
Research arrangement with the Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring,
MD. In both cases the one time addition of the patent protected CEL-1000 to
the vaccines resulted in significant increases in the protection of the
animals.
This new data indicates that CEL-1000 has protective activity in
various animal models. These results are very important because CEL-SCI is
planning to develop CEL-1000 as a potential addition to the different bird
flu vaccines currently under development by the pharmaceutical and
biopharmaceutical industry. It recently became very apparent that there is
a great need for an adjuvant for these vaccines. Adjuvants are designed to
improve the effectiveness of vaccines.
On March 30, 2006 the New England Journal of Medicine ("NEJM")
published the results of the first human testing of a H5N1 bird (avian) flu
vaccine. It showed that the vaccine, which was produced by the
pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis, sparked a protective immune response
in a disappointingly small percentage of vaccine recipients -- 54 percent
of those who received two shots, 28 days apart, of the highest dose tested.
This dose was twelve times higher than that needed for protection by the
"normal" human flu vaccine where protection rates are generally in the
80-90% range.
This study identified 3 problems with this bird flu vaccine: 1) Each
person requires so much vaccine that the government will not be able to
build up the necessary stockpiles to protect the general population from
the bird flu. 2) Only about half the people respond with the desired immune
responses. 3) It takes a long time to produce an immune response during
which time the person is not protected.
Dr. Daniel Zimmerman, Senior V.P of Research, Cellular Immunity, at
CEL- SCI Corporation said, "This new data confirms our belief that CEL-1000
could be an important addition to the bird flu vaccines. That is why
CEL-SCI is in contact with all of the major bird flu vaccine developers to
test CEL-1000 with their vaccines."
In December 2005, CEL-SCI signed an agreement with the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), whereby NIAID agreed
to test CEL- 1000 as a possible vaccine or treatment against bird flu virus
H5N1 in its animal models of the disease.
CEL-1000, when used as a single adjuvant (enhancer of a vaccine) or in
combination with other adjuvants, potentiates Th1 (cellular) and innate
(earliest stage) immune responses and protects animals from viral and
parasitic challenge. Upon challenge with the disease causing agent(s), CEL-
1000 provides antigen-independent (i.e., non-disease specific) and broad-
spectrum protection, which is important against the bird flu virus since it
exhibits a high mutation rate.
CEL-SCI Corporation is developing new immune system based treatments
for cancer and infectious diseases. The Company has operations in Vienna,
Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland.
When used in this report, the words "intends," "plans," "believes,"
"anticipated" and "expects" and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks
and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially
from those projected. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly
release the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements,
which may be made to reflect the events or circumstances after the date
hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
SOURCE CEL-SCI Corporation
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.cel-sci.com
CONTACT:
Stockholders Contact: Gavin de Windt of
CEL-SCI Corporation, +1-703-506-9460; or Institutional Investors,
Brokers & Analysts Contact: Michael Lucci of Lucci Financial
Group LLC, +1-248-723-3330, for CEL-SCI Corporation
|
