Follow up of ChronVac-C®-study with a 5th dose commenced

Follow up of ChronVac-C®-study with a 5th dose commenced

The first patient has now received a 5th dose of the therapeutic vaccine
ChronVac-C® without complications. This is one of up to three patients who after
the completed treatment with four monthly doses of the vaccine now after a time
of wait since the last dose have been offered a fifth vaccination, a so called
booster dose. If they are still infected after this they will enter standard of
care treatment for their chronic hepatitis C. All four patients from the
ChronVac-C® study who have started the standard treatment have cleared the virus
in blood within 12 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, three of them had <50 virus
copies/mL blood already after 3 or 4 weeks of treatment. This is an unusually
rapid response for patients infected with HCV of genotype 1. Thus, this supports
the possibility that it might be beneficial to combine ChronVac-C® with standard
of care treatment.

Tripep has earlier reported about the results from the 12 patients who have
received four vaccinations with ChronVac-C® which showed proof-of-concept for
ChronVac-C® treatment having an antiviral effect. Up to three patients in the
high dose group have now been offered after some time has elapsed after the last
dose to receive a fifth injection with ChronVac-C®. The purpose is to see if a
so called booster dose can give a positive effect. As part of clinical routine
follow up the patients who participated in the study have the possibility to
start what is called standard of care treatment consisting of interferon and
ribavirin. Data from the first four patients who now have received standard of
care treatment show that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) rapidly has disappeared,
cautiously indicating that it might be beneficial to combine ChronVac-C® with
standard of care treatment. Three had <50 virus copies/mL blood after four
weeks, and all four patients were virus negative at week 12, which is predictive
of a cure. This good treatment effect is unusual for patients infected with HCV
of genotype 1. In general, only around 10-15% of those will respond to standard
of care treatment with <50 virus copies/mL blood within four weeks and only
40-50% are virus free after completed treatment for 48 weeks. All patients who
have been included in the ChronVac-C® study will be followed carefully while on
standard of care. If the promising results will prevail also with the remaining
patients the goal is to find suitable collaboration partners for the further
clinical development of ChronVac-C® as a part of a combination therapy. In
parallel to this work the preclinical development of ChronVac-C® as mono-therapy
is progressing according to plan.


“We are happy to having been able to commence the continuation of the
ChronVac-C® study with a booster dose. This will give us additional important
information on how the vaccine works. It is also very gratifying that all those
patients from the ChronVac-C® study who up to now have commenced standard of
care treatment have responded unusually rapid. This indicates that they have a
good chance to be rid of their infection which is the ultimate goal with
hepatitis C-treatment”, says Tripep´s CEO Anders Vahlne.

For more information, please contact:

Anders Vahlne, CEO and Head of Research, Tripep AB
Tel: +46 8 5858 1313, mobile phone: +46 709 28 05 28, 
E-mail: anders.vahlne@ki.se


Tripep develops the therapeutic DNA-vaccines ChronVac-C® and ChronVac-B drugs
against chronic hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B-virus infections, i.e. chronic
infections with jaundice causing viruses which can lead to liver cirrhosis and
liver cancer. Tripep has also developed and further develops a patent pending
new type of injection needle for a more effective uptake of DNA vaccines. Tripep
also have part ownership in the wound healing therapy ChronSeal®, and in the new
platform technology RAS®. The Tripep share is admitted to trade on First North.
Remium AB is Certified Adviser for Tripep AB. For more information, please
visit: www.tripep.se

In the event of any discrepancy between the Swedish and English versions of this
press release, the Swedish version will take precedence.