IMNN-101 Preclinical Data in SARS CoV-2 Published in Peer-Reviewed Journal Vaccine
23 February 2024 - 12:00AM
IMUNON, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMNN), a
clinical-stage drug-development company focused on developing
non-viral DNA-mediated immunotherapy and next-generation vaccines,
announces that an article titled “Strong immunogenicity &
protection in mice with PlaCCine: A COVID-19 DNA vaccine formulated
with a functional polymer” by Subeena Sood, Majed M. Matar, et. Al.
[https://doi.org.10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.01.065] has been published
in the peer-reviewed journal Vaccine, by Elsevier. The article is
available at
https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S0264-410X(24)00077-X.
The study described in the article used IMUNON’s
proprietary formulation against the spike proteins from two
SARS-CoV-2 variants, both alone and in combination. Data from the
study show:
- IMUNON’s proprietary formulation of
functionalized polymer protected DNA from degradation, while the
combination with an adjuvant led to an increase in protein
expression.
- DNA formulated with PlaCCine
resulted in a DNA vaccine product that was stable for up to one
year at 4°C.
- DNA formulated in PlaCCine resulted
in the induction of spike-specific neutralizing antibodies and
cytotoxic T cells.
- In the in vivo challenge model, the
vaccine-induced immune response was capable of suppressing viral
replication.
- Multiple inserts can be cloned into
the PlaCCine backbone (a plug-and-play strategy), therefore
allowing for an immune response with broader protection.
Dr. Corinne Le Goff, president and chief
executive officer of IMUNON, said, “The publication of this
manuscript in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Vaccine adds to
the growing body of preclinical data confirming the efficacy and
desirable features of our PlaCCine vaccine modality. While data
from this murine study confirm PlaCCine’s potential to address
SARS-CoV-2 pathogens, and recent data from non-human primates are
promising, we look forward to filing an Investigational New Drug
(IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
in the coming weeks, and to beginning a Phase 1/2 study this
spring. Clearly COVID-19 continues to remain a global public health
concern. With IMNN-101, we are pursuing more potent and durable
immunity, and with ease of handling and ability to incorporate
multiple antigens in a single plasmid, we believe that our novel
DNA vaccine modality is well positioned as the next generation of
vaccines.”
About
Vaccine
Vaccine is the pre-eminent journal in the field
of vaccinology. It is the official journal of The Japanese Society
for Vaccinology and is published by Elsevier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine. Copies of this paper
are available to credentialed journalists upon request, please
contact the Elsevier Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com.
About IMUNON
IMUNON is a fully integrated, clinical-stage
biotechnology company focused on advancing a portfolio of
innovative treatments that harness the body’s natural mechanisms to
generate safe, effective and durable responses across a broad array
of human diseases, constituting a differentiating approach from
conventional therapies. IMUNON is developing its non-viral DNA
technology across four modalities. The first modality, TheraPlas®,
is developed for the coding of proteins and cytokines in the
treatment of solid tumors where an immunological approach is deemed
promising. The second modality, PlaCCine®, is developed for the
coding of viral antigens that can elicit a strong immunological
response. This technology may represent a promising platform for
the development of vaccines in infectious diseases. The third
modality, FixPlas®, concerns the application of our DNA technology
to produce universal cancer vaccines, also called tumor associated
antigen cancer vaccines. The fourth modality, IndiPlas®, is in the
discovery phase and will focus on the development of personalized
cancer vaccines, or neoepitope cancer vaccines.
The Company’s lead clinical program, IMNN-001,
is a DNA-based immunotherapy for the localized treatment of
advanced ovarian cancer currently in Phase 2 development. IMNN-001
works by instructing the body to produce safe and durable levels of
powerful cancer-fighting molecules, such as interleukin-12 and
interferon gamma, at the tumor site. Additionally, the Company is
conducting IND-enabling preclinical studies for the development of
a COVID-19 booster vaccine (IMNN-101) and a treatment for the LASSA
virus (IMNN-102). The Company has also initiated preclinical work
to develop a Trp2 tumor associated antigen cancer vaccine in
melanoma (IMNN-201). We will continue to leverage these modalities
and to advance the technological frontier of plasmid DNA to better
serve patients with difficult-to-treat conditions. For more
information on IMUNON, visit www.imunon.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
IMUNON wishes to inform readers that
forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant
to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that such
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties
including, without limitation, unforeseen changes in the course of
research and development activities and in clinical trials; the
uncertainties of and difficulties in analyzing interim clinical
data; the significant expense, time and risk of failure of
conducting clinical trials; the need for IMUNON to evaluate its
future development plans; possible acquisitions or licenses of
other technologies, assets or businesses; possible actions by
customers, suppliers, competitors or regulatory authorities; and
other risks detailed from time to time in IMUNON’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. IMUNON assumes no obligation to
update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue
because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise.
Contacts:
IMUNON |
LHA Investor Relations |
Jeffrey W. Church |
Kim Sutton Golodetz |
Executive Vice President, CFO |
212-838-3777 |
and Corporate Secretary |
Kgolodetz@lhai.com |
609-482-2455 |
|
jchurch@imunon.com |
|
|
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