Preliminary Animal Testing Suggests Immune Responses Are Induced In
CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells Aimed Specifically at HIV
CARLSBAD, Calif., May 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Citing an important step in ongoing research in the ability to
trigger immune responses specific to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),
The Immune Response Corporation (Nasdaq: IMNR) announced today preliminary
results from a non-human primate study in which CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, the
specialized white blood cells which kill infected cells in the body targeted
specifically at HIV, increased in test monkeys after receiving immunizations
of a new combination HIV vaccine.
"Vaccination of rhesus macaques with inactivated gp120-depleted HIV-1,
REMUNE(R), in the presence of Incomplete Freund's Adjuvant and
immunostimulatory DNA, ODN 2006, induces robust HIV-specific humoral and
cellular responses," said Dr. Peter Silvera who conducted the tests on behalf
of the Southern Research Institute in collaboration with The National
Institutes of Health, The Immune Response Corporation, and the Jonas Salk
Foundation.
"This study offers support to our belief that this combination holds
promise as a possible preventative vaccine against HIV infection," said Dr.
Dennis Carlo, President and Chief Executive Officer for The Immune Response
Corporation. "We believe strongly in the need for additional testing and
study, including clinical human trials, on this combination at a time when
there are limited viable HIV vaccine candidates."
In the test, four rhesus monkeys were given a series of immunizations with
REMUNE(R) plus an adjuvant consisting of sequences of immunostimulatory DNA
(CpG). Four additional monkeys served as a control group, with two monkeys
receiving adjuvant alone and two receiving nothing. HIV specific cell
mediated immunity to both HIV proteins and peptides was measured by two
different assays to determine the vaccine's effectiveness.
According to Dr. Silvera, the results suggested that HIV specific CD4+ and
CD8+ T cell responses were present in three of the four monkeys receiving
REMUNE(R) and the adjuvant, compared to none for the four control animals.
CD4+ immune responses involved primarily T helper cells while CD8+ immune
responses were primarily cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), both of which are
thought to be key components of the immune system's response to control HIV.
Additionally, antibodies to the HIV core protein p24 were elicited in the
monkeys who received REMUNE(R) plus the CpG adjuvant.
"With approximately 40 million HIV-infected individuals worldwide, there
is an increasing need for an effective HIV preventive vaccine," said Dr. Peter
Salk, Scientific Director of the Jonas Salk Foundation. "The fact that
REMUNE(R), in combination with CpG, appears to elicit both CD4+ and CD8+ T
cell immune responses, as observed both in this study and in previous animal
studies, is encouraging and would appear to position this vaccine approach as
a potential candidate for future testing in humans."
The preliminary results were presented this week by Dr. Silvera at the
"Inactivated Retroviral Virions: In Vitro And Vaccine Applications" meeting,
sponsored by the Office of AIDS and Science Applications International
Corporation in Annapolis, Maryland. The abstract of the study is available at
http://www.imnr.com .
Co-founded by medical pioneer, Dr. Jonas Salk and based in Carlsbad,
California, The Immune Response Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company
developing immune-based therapies designed to treat HIV, autoimmune diseases
and cancer. The Company develops and holds patents on several groundbreaking
technologies that can be applied to any gene in order to increase a gene's
expression or effectiveness, making it useful in a wide range of therapeutic
applications for a variety of disorders. Company information is also
available at http://www.imnr.com .
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Actual results
could vary materially from those expected due to a variety of risk factors,
including the uncertainty of successful completion of clinical trials, and
those risks set forth from time to time in The Immune Response Corporation's
SEC filings, including but not limited to its report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2001 and subsequent Form 10-Q. The Company undertakes no
obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these
forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
REMUNE(R) is a registered trademark of The Immune Response Corporation.
SOURCE The Immune Response Corporation
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http://www.imnr.com
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CONTACT:
Media, James Lee of The Lee Strategy Group,
+1-310-229-5771, Fax, +1-310-229-5772, jlee@leestrategy.com, for
The Immune Response Corporation; or Investors, Kathy Lane of The
Immune Response Corporation, +1-760-771-2236, Fax,
+1-760-431-8636, info@imnr.com
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