SAN DIEGO, June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio 2001 -- BioVex Limited announced
today that a key patent (USP 6,248,320), licensed by BioVex from the founding
scientists' academic institution, has been granted by the US Patent and
Trademark Office. This patent covers BioVex's disabled HSV vector technology
for gene delivery to a number of important cellular targets and highlights
BioVex's leadership in the HSV vector field.
The patent covers HSV vectors that are disabled so as to be non-toxic to
target cells. The intellectual property surrounds a novel series of deletions
from the virus genome which in combination with the Company's proprietary
producer cell line ("VeXell") allows the efficient production of non-toxic HSV
vectors. It has previously been very difficult to produce non-toxic HSV
vectors.
In addition, when the disabled vector backbone is combined with BioVex's
ExpressGEN promoter technology highly efficient gene delivery can be achieved
in cultured neurons together with long term widespread gene expression in the
nervous system. This result has not previously been possible with highly
disabled HSV vectors and forms the basis of the Company's NeuroVEX platform.
NeuroVEX vectors have particular utility for the validation of genes as
drug targets in neurological disease. For drug target validation, BioVex has
recently set up a dedicated business, and has entered into evaluation
agreements with Aventis and a leading US genomics company.
Dr Robert Coffin, BioVex's Chief Scientific Officer commented:
"We are delighted that the advances made in our vector systems have been
recognised by the grant of this important US patent. We expect this to be the
first of several patents to be granted which will ultimately provide broad
protection for each of our vector platforms. "
Notes:
BioVex is a private biotechnology company, currently backed by the Merlin
Fund, based in London and Oxford (UK).
BioVex has developed proprietary vectors, based on the common cold sore
virus, herpes simplex type 1, for:
-- the oncolytic therapy of solid tumours;
-- the immunotherapy of metastatic cancer and chronic infectious disease;
and
-- the determination of gene function in the nervous system.
BioVex is pursuing its own in-house product development programmes
principally in cancer. BioVex is also establishing collaborative
relationships with genomics and pharmaceutical companies to evaluate gene
targets for future product opportunities whereby BioVex will use its vectors
to deliver potentially therapeutic or disease linked genes to the appropriate
target tissue to analyse biological function.
This news release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the
Company's current expectation regarding future events. Forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ
materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors
including the uncertainties relating to the development of new medicines and
the regulatory process.
SOURCE BioVex Limited
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Related links:
http://www.biovex.com
CONTACT:
Dr. Gareth Beynon, Chief Executive Officer,
+44-1865-338395, or Dr. Robert Coffin, Chief Scientific Officer,
+44-20-679-9230, both of BioVex Limited
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