Findings Suggest New Way to Stimulate the Immune System to Fight Viral
Diseases
VIENNA, Va., June 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CEL-SCI Corporation
(Amex: CVM) and researchers at Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of
Medicine and Pharmacy jointly announced favorable new developments in the
LEAPS(TM) heteroconjugate vaccine technology developed by CEL-SCI at the
FOCIS Immunology meeting in Boston, MA on June 8, 2008. Patricia Taylor,
M.S., working with Dr. Ken S. Rosenthal, Professor of Microbiology and
Immunology at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and
Pharmacy and Dr. Dan Zimmerman, CEL-SCI's Senior Vice President of Research
and Cellular Immunology, demonstrated that immunization with a LEAPS
(Ligand Epitope Antigen Presentation System) vaccine altered the
immunological hormone (cytokine) balance toward a Th1 environment. It has
been shown that a Th1 cellular immune response is needed for protection
against many viral diseases. Th1 promotes a combination of antibody and
cell mediated protective immune responses compared to the antibody
producing Th2 environment induced by most vaccines.
Most notably, within three days of immunization with the "J" type LEAPS
vaccines, the cytokine that drives a Th1 response, IL-12, and the primary
cytokine that mediates its effects, interferon gamma, were detected in the
blood. The LEAPS vaccines that were examined include one that was
previously shown to provide antigen specific protection and cellular
immunity against herpes simplex virus infection via interferon gamma in
mouse models of human disease and another that is directed against a HIV
protein.
Dr. Zimmermann said: "These findings give us a new way to stimulate the
immune system to fight viral diseases. They also may lead to new treatments
against autoimmune diseases by redirecting established immune responses,
stopping their attack upon the body."
The LEAPS vaccine consists of a portion of an HSV or HIV protein
attached to a portion of another very small protein (immune cell binding
ligand (ICBL)) chosen to promote and direct the immune response to the
virus. By themselves, neither the ICBL nor the viral peptides initiate
protection but when conjugated together, the LEAPS vaccines promote immune
responses that can protect against HSV-1.
Vaccination against HSV and HIV has the potential to prevent initial
infection; prevent or lessen the severity of disease; and prevent spread of
the virus to sexual partners as well as to neonates and newborns. The LEAPS
vaccines is one of several approaches to the development of safe and
effective vaccines are being pursued.
About CEL-SCI Corporation:
CEL-SCI Corporation is developing products that empower immune
defenses. Its lead product is Multikine(R). In Phase II clinical trials
Multikine was shown to be safe and well-tolerated, and to improve the
patients' overall survival by 33% at a median of three and a half years
following surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave
clearance for a Phase III clinical trial with Multikine in January 2007 and
granted orphan drug status to Multikine in the neoadjuvant therapy of
squamous cell carcinoma (cancer) of the head and neck in May 2007.
Multikine, a patented defined mixture of naturally derived cytokines,
is the first immunotherapeutic agent in a new class of drugs called "Immune
SIMULATORS". Immune SIMULATORS simulate the way our natural immune system
acts in defending us against cancer. As opposed to other immunotherapies
which are designed to target a single or limited number of specific
antigens or molecules, Immune SIMULATORS are multi-targeted; they
simultaneously cause a direct and targeted killing of the specific tumor
cells and they activate the immune system to produce a stronger anti-tumor
attack on multiple fronts.
Multikine is also the first immunotherapeutic agent being developed as
a first-line standard of care treatment for cancer. It is administered
prior to any other cancer therapy because that is the period when the
anti-tumor immune response can still be fully activated. Once the patient
has advanced disease, or had surgery or has received radiation and/or
chemotherapy, the immune system is severely weakened and is less able to
mount an effective anti-tumor immune response. Other immunotherapies are
administered after the patient has received chemotherapy and/or radiation
therapy, which can limit their effectiveness.
The Company has operations in Vienna, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland.
CEL-SCI's other products, which are currently in pre-clinical stage, have
shown protection against a number of diseases in animal tests and are being
tested against diseases associated with bio-defense and avian flu.
SOURCE CEL-SCI Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.cel-sci.com
CONTACT:
Gavin de Windt of CEL-SCI Corporation,
+1-703-506-9460
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