Vaccine Formulation Using REMUNE(R) and Immunostimulatory Sequence
Aimed at Preventive Applications
CARLSBAD, Calif., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
The Immune Response Corporation (Nasdaq: IMNR) announced today it has been
granted Republic of South Africa Patent Number 2001/8559 entitled "HIV
Immunogenic Compositions and Methods" for its latest vaccine development
utilizing a novel formulation of REMUNE(R) in concert with immunostimulatory
sequence aimed specifically at preventing initial HIV infections.
"Receipt of this patent in one of the regions of the world most devastated
by the AIDS epidemic gives us a base to further develop our core HIV vaccine,"
said Dr. Ronald B. Moss, president of The Immune Response Corporation.
"Studies to date using this vaccine formulation have yielded early results in
the ability to stimulate an HIV-specific immune response in HIV-negative
hosts."
According to Dr. Moss, the patent awarded by South Africa is for a novel
formulation whereby whole killed HIV-1 is stripped of its outer protein
envelope and immunostimulatory sequences are added along with an adjuvant.
This formulation process differs from that of REMUNE(R) and allows for a
broader presentation in stimulating an immune response in HIV-negative
subjects. The patent term is for 20 years from the international filing date
or until the year 2020.
The Company previously released study results by the Southern Research
Institute in collaboration with The National Institutes of Health and the
Jonas Salk Foundation, which utilized this vaccine formulation to stimulate
HIV-specific immune responses, resulting in the boosting of both antibody and
cell mediated immunity in Rhesus macaques.
"Our goal with this vaccine formulation was to induce HIV-specific
immunity as an approach for use as a preventive vaccine," Dr. Moss said. "Our
initial results in animal studies led us to begin working in this area in
terms of intellectual property protection and seeking partners to further
develop on our early clinical work."
The Company also has submitted this vaccine formulation for patent
protection in other parts of the world, including the U.S. and Europe, and is
seeking appropriate partners to further develop this approach, Dr. Moss said.
According to recent reports from the U.S. Agency for International
Development, over 4.2 million South Africans are infected with HIV/AIDS, or
approximately 20 percent of the population. The agency estimates that one of
every 10 new HIV/AIDS infections in the world occurs in South Africa, giving
it the highest documented infection rate in the world. The current prevalence
rate among adults is almost 23 percent (in 1992, it was roughly two percent).
Co-founded by medical pioneer Dr. Jonas Salk and based in Carlsbad,
Calif., The Immune Response Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company
developing immune-based therapies designed to treat HIV, autoimmune diseases
and cancer. The Company also develops and holds patents on several
technologies that can be applied to genes in order to increase gene expression
or effectiveness, making it useful in a wide range of therapeutic applications
for a variety of disorders. Company information is 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, but not limited to, whether the Company will successfully raise
proceeds from financing activities sufficient to fund additional trials and
development of REMUNE(R) in South Africa, the United States, Europe or
elsewhere, whether any such clinical trials will be successful in meeting
their primary endpoints and whether the Company will be successful in
commercializing REMUNE(R) in South Africa, the United States, Europe or in any
other jurisdiction. These and other risk factors are discussed more
thoroughly 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
report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2002. 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.
SOURCE The Immune Response Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.imnr.com
CONTACT:
media, James Lee of The Lee Strategy Group,
+1-310-229-5771, or 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, or fax,
+1-760-771-2140, info@imnr.com
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