Pharmexa and Ichor Medical Systems enter into an agreement to co-develop multiple DNA vaccines delivered by electroporation

Summary: Pharmexa and Ichor Medical Systems, Inc. have entered into a license
agreement to co-develop Pharmexa's DNA-based vaccines delivered by Ichor's
TriGridTM electroporation device. A novel universal influenza vaccine candidate
is a key focus of the co-development. 

Pharmexa and Ichor have entered into an agreement to co-develop multiple DNA
vaccines to combat important diseases of high unmet medical need. It is well
recognized that in vivo electroporation is a promising means of enhancing the
potency of DNA vaccines. The co-development programmes include a vaccine
against malaria as well as a universal influenza vaccine. Pharmexa's DNA
vaccines were developed with the aid of its proprietary EIS® technology and are
based on pathogen-derived conserved T-lymphocyte (HTL) and cytotoxic
T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes. These vaccines are primarily aimed at inducing
strong and protective cellular immune responses in the vast majority of people.
The universal influenza vaccine is designed to provide enhanced protection
against influenza in the elderly, a growing population group particularly
vulnerable to influenza-related morbidity and mortality. The epitopes included
in the vaccine are derived from highly conserved portions of viral proteins
from past and current viral strains, predicted to cover all human and avian
strains. If safe and efficacious, this truly universal influenza vaccine holds
promise as a seasonal influenza vaccine and as a vaccine against the pandemic
threat. 

Ichor's TriGrid Delivery System uses electroporation to open pathways into
cells, dramatically increasing the intracellular delivery of the DNA vaccine
into the cells at the site of administration, increasing potency over 100 times
compared to other methods of delivery.  Ichor's advanced, push-button
electroporation system minimizes operator error and ensures the safe, rapid,
effective and reproducible administration of DNA from one patient to another
enabling the clinical application of electroporation in a manner capable of
supporting the development and commercialization of DNA-based products. 

Both, Pharmexa and Ichor are recognized leaders in their fields and contribute
their core technologies and know-how to accelerate development of identified
co-development projects. Thus, Pharmexa will be primarily responsible for
developing the vaccine component and Ichor will primarily be responsible for
developing the electroporation delivery device. Financial details of the
agreement were not disclosed; however, the parties will share the costs and
rewards of the joint programs. 

 “Pharmexa is delighted to partner some of its unique polyepitope vaccine
projects with Ichor”, says Marc Hertz, CEO of Pharmexa-Epimmune. “We believe
electroporation-mediated delivery of DNA vaccines has the potential to
revolutionize the DNA vaccine field. Rationally designed vaccines, such as the
universal influenza vaccine, combined with superior delivery technologies, may
provide new opportunities for prophylaxis and treatment of important diseases” 

 
Hørsholm, March 10, 2008


Jakob Schmidt
Chief Executive Officer



Additional information:
Jakob Schmidt, CEO, tel +45 4516 2525
Claude Mikkelsen, Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Communication, tel +45
4516 2525 or +45 4060 2558 


For the 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 and
chronic diseases, 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, GENimmune, IDM Pharma, Bavarian
Nordic and Ichor Medical Systems. With operations in Denmark, Norway and USA,
Pharmexa employs approximately 80 employees and is listed on the Copenhagen
Stock Exchange under the trading symbol PHARMX. 

Ichor Medical Systems' TriGrid™ Delivery System is the first integrated and
fully automated system for electroporation-mediated DNA administration. Ichor,
a privately-held biotech company based in San Diego, CA, is collaborating with
partners on three continents in a wide range of studies to test the TriGrid as
an enabling platform for delivery of DNA drugs and vaccines to treat diseases
such as avian flu, hepatitis B, HIV, melanoma, multiple sclerosis, and others.
The TriGrid is also being tested by the U.S. military as an efficient means of
delivering anti-bioterrorism agents. Ichor's current research partners include
Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Bayhill Therapeutics, Genexine, the
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Pasteur Institute,
Pharmexa-Epimmune, Rockefeller University, The Scripps Research Institute, the
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), the
Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) and the Vaccine and Infectious Disease
Organization (VIDO). For further information, visit www.ichorms.com.