Summary: Pharmexa-Epimmune, the U.S.-based subsidiary of Pharmexa A/S, presents
selected data from its influenza vaccine program today at the Influenza
Conference entitled, “Options for the Control of Influenza VI,” held in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The data show that a “universal” vaccine designed to
induce cell-mediated immune responses can protect transgenic mice against
lethal experimental influenza virus challenge.
Pharmexa-Epimmune, the U.S.-based subsidiary of Pharmexa A/S, presented
selected data from its influenza vaccine program today at the Influenza
Conference entitled, “Options for the Control of Influenza VI,” held in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The company's “universal” vaccine strategy combines
the use of multiple technologies developed over the past decade. Specifically,
the experimental vaccine protected HLA transgenic mice, which are partially
“humanized” against a lethal influenza virus infection.
The vaccine is designed to induce T-cell responses to highly-conserved
influenza epitopes that were identified using the proprietary Epitope
Identification System (EIS®). Pharmexa-Epimmune's approach is unique to the
field where most vaccines are designed with the explicit goal of inducing
antibody responses. The goal is to design and test a vaccine that will be
protective as a “universal” influenza virus vaccine against both seasonal and
pandemic viral strains.
Mark Newman, Ph.D., SVP, Global R&D Laboratories, noted: “These data are very
promising and important to us for two reasons. First, we were able to
demonstrate protection of the HLA transgenic mice from lethal influenza virus
challenge using a vaccine designed to induce only T-cell responses. Second, we
were able to demonstrate that the immune system of humans had recognized the
selected vaccine epitopes as the result of past exposures to influenza virus
and that the HLA transgenic mice responded in a similar manner.”
Hørsholm, June 21, 2007
Jakob Schmidt
Chief Executive Officer
Additional information: Jakob Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer, telephone +45
4516 2525
Claude Mikkelsen, Head of Investor Relations, telephone +45 4516 2525 or +45
4060 2558
Note to editors: Pharmexa A/S is a leading company in the field of active
immunotherapy and vaccines for the treatment of cancer, serious chronic and
infectious diseases. Pharmexa's proprietary technology platforms are broadly
applicable, allowing the company to address critical targets in cancer, bone
degeneration and Alzheimer's disease, as well as serious infectious diseases
such as HIV, influenza, hepatitis and malaria. Its leading programs are GV1001,
a peptide vaccine that has entered phase III trials in pancreatic cancer and
phase II trials in liver cancer, and HIV and hepatitis vaccines in phase I/II.
Collaborative agreements include H. Lundbeck, Innogenetics, ImmunoVaccine
Technologies and Bavarian Nordic. With operations in Denmark, Norway and USA,
Pharmexa employs approximately 105 people and is listed on the Copenhagen Stock
Exchange under the trading symbol PHARMX.
