SEATTLE, April 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TapImmune Inc. (OTCBB:TPIV) announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for U.S. patent application number 20100303894 entitled "POXVIRIDAE TREATMENT". This patent claims a vaccine composition containing TAP-1 and/or TAP-2 to augment the antigen processing capability of infected cells and hence their immunogenicity. The composition may be used alone or as an adjuvant with a pox antigen-based vaccine, especially in the treatment or prophylaxis of viral infections such as smallpox.
"We have added another important piece to our intellectual property portfolio," said Dr. Glynn Wilson, Chairman & CEO of TapImmune Inc. "It provides protection for the development of new products in the prophylactic and biodefense vaccine markets."
Original data published in Plos Pathogens 1: 289-98, 2005 demonstrated that in an animal model of lethal viral challenge after vaccination, delivery of TAP1,2 in a vaccinia virus vector provided protection against a lethal challenge of VV at doses 100-fold lower than control vector alone.
TapImmune's vaccine technology is based on reintroducing TAP (Transporters associated with Antigen Presentation), thereby modulating the activity of the antigen processing machinery to increase effective presentation of antigens or markers to the immune system. The immune system can use this information to selectively destroy cancerous cells or those infected with pathogens.
About TapImmune
TapImmune's unique approach is designed to increase the efficacy of vaccines by enhancing antigen presentation through the use of the Transporter of Antigen Processing ('TAP'). Replacement of this transporter provides a significant immune response with the potential to treat a variety of cancers which lack normal amounts of TAP.
TapImmune's lead product candidate, AdhTAP, is designed to restore and augment antigen presentation and subsequent recognition and killing of cancer cells by the immune system. The Company is currently planning the development of AdhTAP for the commencement of clinical manufacturing and toxicology studies. As a stand-alone cancer therapy or in combination with other drugs, AdhTAP could prove to be a key component of a more successful assault on cancer. TapImmune is in pre-clinical co-development of a multi-component vaccine for the treatment of HER-2/neu positive breast cancer.
The Company is also developing a TAP-based prophylactic vaccine which initial tests indicate may increase the efficacy of targeted prophylactic vaccines by up to 1000 times. TapImmune's TAP technology could significantly improve the efficacy of many current prophylactic vaccines and enhance the creation of new ones in the fight against many pandemic infectious diseases. A next generation smallpox vaccine is currently in preclinical development.
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This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this news release concerning the Company's expectations, plans, business outlook or future performance, and any other statements concerning assumptions made or expectations as to any future events, conditions, performance or other matters, are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are by their nature subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those stored in such statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to the risks set forth in the Company's most recent Form 10-K and other SEC filings which are available through EDGAR at www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements.