STOCKHOLM, Sweden, May 23, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Diamyd Medical AB (Other OTC:DMYDF) (Stockholm:DIAMB) announced today that results from studies with the Diamyd(tm) therapeutic for autoimmune diabetes will be presented at the European diabetes meeting EASD in Copenhagen in September. Professor Johnny Ludvigsson, University Hospital, Linkoping, Sweden, will give the oral presentation, which will review the research results from a double-blind Phase II clinical trial encompassing 70 children and juveniles with autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes. Preliminary results from the study are expected to be communicated on or about August 25.
"It is rewarding to experience how this 64Kd protein, later identified as GAD, has become a key substance in the search for a treatment of autoimmune diabetes," said Professor Johnny Ludvigsson of Linkoping University, Principal Investigator of the trial. "The aims of the study are to verify safety and to investigate if two shots of Diamyd(tm) can improve the patients' capacity to produce their own insulin. If two injections with Diamyd(tm) can even marginally slow down the destruction of beta cells, I believe this is a breakthrough, as the therapeutic is so easy to administrate and appears to have no side-effects."
The 70 patients in the study are divided into two groups -- 1) the treatment group (35 subjects) receives two injections of 20 ug Diamyd(tm) (GAD65 formulated in aluminium-hydroxide); and 2) the placebo group (35 subjects) receives the same formulation without GAD65. Previous positive results were obtained in a smaller-scale Phase II clinical trial involving autoimmune Type 2 Diabetes patients. (Type 2 Diabetes patients with GAD antibodies are also known as LADA patients.)
"We are very excited to see the outcome of this trial as it is the first time that our diabetes vaccine is being tested in autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes patients," stated Anders Essen- Moller, CEO of Diamyd Medical. "We believe the EASD's selection of Professor Ludvigsson's abstract for an oral presentation indicates that others are excited to see the results, as well. Nevertheless, despite great optimism, we cannot predict the results of the double-blind clinical trial until the code is broken in August."
Upcoming presentations of Diamyd(tm) are scheduled for June 1st, at Operaterassen Stockholm (Anders Essen-Moller), for June 7 at Handelsbanken Capital Market, Copenhagen (Anders Essen-Moller) and for the American Diabetes Association in Washington in June (Professor Carl-David Agardh, Malmo University Hospital, Sweden.
About Diamyd Medical
Diamyd Medical's furthest developed project is Diamyd(tm) which is currently employed in three ongoing clinical trials of both autoimmune Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. With the acquisition of Nurel Therapeutics in Pittsburgh, U.S.A., several preclinical gene therapy projects for diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), chronic pain and cancer have been added.
For further information, please contact: Johannes Falk, CIO, Phone: +46 (0) 8-545 654 28 Diamyd Medical AB (publ). Linnegatan 89 B, SE-115 23 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel: 08-661 00 26, fax: 08-661 63 68 or email: info@diamyd.com. Corp. Id: 556530-1420.
This announcement is made as a matter of record only and does not constitute or form any part of any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase to subscribe for, any securities in Diamyd Medical AB. This information includes statements concerning historical, present and forward-looking items and is to the "best of knowledge" of the management of Diamyd Medical and these statements may differ materially from actual facts. The Company assumes no obligation to update these statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such statements. The Company's Press Releases, Quarterly Reports and Annual Reports are translations from the Swedish originals. No guarantees are made that the translation is free from errors.
Diamyd Medical AB (corporate. id. no. 556530-1420) Linnegatan 89B, SE-115 23 Stockholm Sweden. Tel: +46 (0)8-661 00 26 , fax: +46 (0)8-661 63 68 or email: info@diamyd.com, www.diamyd.com
Disclosure. This announcement is made as a matter of record only and does not constitute or form any part of any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase to subscribe for, any securities in Diamyd Medical AB. This information includes statements concerning historical, present and forward-looking items and is to the "best of knowledge" of the management of Diamyd Medical and the actual status and results achieved by the Company may differ materially from these statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update these statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such statements. The Company's Press Releases, Quarterly Reports and Annual Reports are translations from the Swedish originals. No guarantees are made that the translation is free from errors.