EpiVax's HIV Vaccine to be Delivered Topically with SonoPrep Skin Permeation
Device
FRANKLIN, Mass. & PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Sontra Medical Corporation (Nasdaq: SONT) and EpiVax, Inc. announced today
that they have formed a research collaboration to investigate the topical
delivery of EpiVax's therapeutic HIV vaccine and other DNA vaccines. In this
collaboration, the companies will investigate the topical delivery of EpiVax's
DNA vaccines with the SonoPrep skin permeation device. The companies will
first seek to optimize the immune response of the HIV vaccine in animal
studies by controlling such variables as dosage, skin area treated, and the
vaccine exposure time. EpiVax has developed sophisticated proprietary tools
that combine bioinformatics with immunology to sequence proteins and identify
the specific protein components that are responsible for creating a protective
immune response.
"We believe that the immune response for our DNA vaccines may be optimized
through topical delivery and are excited to be working with Sontra in this
collaboration," stated Annie S. De Groot M.D., EpiVax's Chief Executive
Officer. "We are pleased to have entered into this collaboration because
EpiVax is developing promising therapeutic vaccines and their efficacy may be
improved through SonoPrep enabled topical delivery," stated Thomas W. Davison,
PhD, Sontra's President and Chief Executive Officer.
Sontra's SonoPrep ultrasonic skin permeation device employs low frequency
ultrasound to penetrate the skin's outermost layer, the stratum corneum. This
simple and fast (average 15 second) treatment creates an imperceptible window
through the skin that enables molecules to pass through with 100 times greater
efficiency than intact skin. SonoPrep has the potential to deliver vaccines
to the viable epidermis to activate the Langerhan cells, which invoke a
powerful immune response.
About Sontra Medical Corporation (http://www.sontra.com)
Sontra Medical Corporation is a technology leader in transdermal science.
Sontra's SonoPrep ultrasound-mediated skin permeation technology combined with
technical competencies in transdermal drug formulation, delivery systems and
biosensors is creating a new paradigm in transdermal drug delivery and
diagnosis. The SonoPrep technology is being developed for several billion
dollar market opportunities, including continuous glucose monitoring and the
transdermal delivery of large molecule drugs and vaccines. Sontra is
currently marketing the SonoPrep device and procedure tray for use with
topical lidocaine to achieve rapid (within five minutes) skin anesthesia.
About EpiVax, Inc. (http://www.epivax.com)
EpiVax is an industry innovator, combining bioinformatics and bench work
to create safer vaccines and therapeutic proteins. The company uses its
proprietary immunoinformatics and lab-based expertise to identify and confirm
immunogenic epitopes, the minimum essential information required for immune
response. Current applications include vaccines for infectious diseases and
cancer as well as re-engineered monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins
for therapeutic use.
EpiVax is located in Providence, Rhode Island. The company was founded by
Anne De Groot, M.D., a Brown University Associate Professor of Medicine, and
incorporated on May 18, 1998. The company is privately held.
About the GAIA HIV Vaccine (http://www.gaiavaccine.org/aug2000.html )
The GAIA HIV vaccine is being developed at EpiVax to combat the expanding
epidemic of HIV in the developing world. It is a specially engineered HIV
vaccine designed to address the global variability of HIV. The GAIA HIV
vaccine research and development program is an NIH funded project at EpiVax
directed by EpiVax's CEO, Annie De Groot, who won an Esquire magazine "Genius"
award for her work on the vaccine in 2003. Additional collaborators in the
development of the GAIA vaccine include Drs Ken Mayer and Michelle Lally at
Brown University, David Weiner at University of Pennsylvania, and Ousmane
Koita in Mali, West Africa.
Investor Relations Contacts:
Sontra Medical Corporation
Sean Moran, Chief Financial Officer
508-530-0334
EpiVax, Inc.
Annie De Groot M.D. Chief Executive Officer
401-272-2123
SonoPrep is a registered trademark of Sontra Medical Corporation. All
other company, product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which address a
variety of subjects including, for example, the expected benefits and efficacy
of the SonoPrep device in connection with diagnostics, vaccine delivery,
glucose monitoring and transdermal drug delivery, the expected results of the
research collaboration with EpiVax and ability to deliver DNA vaccines
topically; the expected market opportunities, distribution and market
acceptance of the SonoPrep device and technology, the expected size of the
markets for the SonoPrep device and technology, and Sontra's business,
research, product development, regulatory approval, marketing and distribution
plans and strategies. Statements that are not historical facts, including
statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements.
Such statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to a
number of factors and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to
differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The
following important factors and uncertainties, among others, could cause
actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-
looking statements: adverse results in research collaborations, product
development, clinical trials, product evaluations, commercialization efforts,
product distribution and market acceptance; difficulties or delays in
obtaining regulatory approvals to market products resulting from development
efforts; difficulties or delays associated with sources of regulatory-approved
transdermal drugs and vaccines; failure to obtain and maintain patent
protection for discoveries; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or
controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic partners and third-
party distributors to develop, commercialize, market and sell products based
on our work; the commercial success of products; and the requirement for
substantial funding to conduct research and development and to expand
commercialization, distribution and marketing activities. For detailed
information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those described in the forward-looking statements, please refer to
Sontra's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
Sontra's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB. Forward-looking
statements represent management's current expectations and are inherently
uncertain. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking
statements made by us.
SOURCE Sontra Medical Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.sontra.com
http://www.epivax.com
CONTACT:
Sean Moran, Chief Financial Officer of Sontra
Medical Corporation, +1-508-530-0334; or Annie De Groot M.D.
Chief Executive Officer of EpiVax, Inc., +1-401-272-2123
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