Immunovaccine and Leidos Expand Collaboration to Develop Malaria Vaccines Formulated in DepoVax™
21 November 2017 - 11:05PM
Immunovaccine Inc. (TSX:IMV) (OTCQX:IMMVF), a clinical stage
immunotherapy and vaccine company, today announced that it is
expanding its collaboration with Leidos, a FORTUNE 500® science and
technology company, to develop preventative, peptide-based malaria
vaccine candidates.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) supported
an initial collaboration via a Leidos Malaria Vaccine Development
Program (MVDP) sub-contract. Following the achievement of several
preclinical milestones in this initial collaboration, Leidos and
USAID selected the DepoVax™-based platform as one of the preferred
formulations for further development under a new contract
extension. Under the new subcontract, the collaborators will
conduct additional research that focuses on identifying the most
promising target-formulation combinations.
“We are very encouraged by what Immunovaccine and Leidos have
together accomplished through this collaboration thus far,” said
Frederic Ors, Immunovaccine’s Chief Executive Officer. “The
intrinsic mechanism of action that underscores DepoVax has
continued to demonstrate the ability to create targeted immune
responses across a broad range of difficult diseases. As the
program continues to advance, we look forward to the potential for
a follow-up clinical study that could leverage our DepoVax
technology in the global quest to address malaria.”
The USAID MVDP project aims to evaluate malaria vaccine
candidates in the preclinical, clinical, and field stages of
development. Research performed under the collaboration with
Immunovaccine showed that DepoVax-formulated vaccine candidates
comprised of promising T and B cell targets demonstrated protection
against the malaria parasite delivered by mosquito bites. The
expanded collaboration will continue to advance this research
toward potential clinical stage development.
About Malaria
In 2016, the World Health Organization reported that malaria
remains a major cause of death among children. There were
approximately 212 million new cases of malaria worldwide in 2015,
and an estimated 429,000 malaria-related deaths. Although the
disease is preventable and curable, children under five are
particularly susceptible to malaria illness, infection and death.
In 2015, malaria killed an estimated 303,000 children under five
years of age globally. Antimalarial drug resistance is a serious
and growing problem.
About USAID
USAID invests in research and development of malaria vaccines
and new antimalarial drugs and insecticide-based vector control
tools. USAID research and development programs are aimed at
identifying the most promising targets and vaccine formulations
About Leidos
Leidos is a Fortune 500® science and technology solutions and
services leader working to solve the world’s toughest challenges in
the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health
markets. The company’s 32,000 employees support vital missions for
government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston,
Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $7.04
billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2016. For more
information, visit www.Leidos.com.
About DepoVax
The technology underlying DepoVax formulations suspends active
components in an oil diluent that prevents their release at the
site of injection. This process forces immune cells to take up
these components in an active process, delivering them directly to
immune organs such as the lymph nodes. DepoVax formulations have
undergone extensive testing in more than 60 preclinical and seven
clinical studies. In clinical trials, these formulations have
consistently demonstrated the ability to generate robust T and B
cell responses, and durable immune responses.
About Immunovaccine
Immunovaccine Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company
dedicated to making immunotherapy more effective, more broadly
applicable, and more widely available to people facing cancer and
infectious diseases. Immunovaccine develops T cell activating
cancer immunotherapies and infectious disease vaccines based on
DepoVax, the Company’s patented delivery platform. DepoVax
formulations provide controlled and prolonged exposure of antigens
and adjuvant to the immune system. Immunovaccine has advanced two T
cell activation therapies for cancer through Phase 1 human clinical
trials and is currently conducting a Phase 1b study with Incyte
Corporation assessing lead cancer therapy, DPX-Survivac, as a
combination therapy in ovarian cancer. The Company is also
exploring additional applications of DepoVax, including DPX-RSV, an
innovative vaccine candidate for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),
which has completed a Phase 1 clinical trial. Immunovaccine also
has ongoing clinical projects to assess the potential of DepoVax to
address malaria and the Zika virus. Connect at
www.imvaccine.com.
Immunovaccine Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking information under
applicable securities law. All information that addresses
activities or developments that we expect to occur in the future is
forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are based
on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the
statements are made. However, they should not be regarded as a
representation that any of the plans will be achieved. Actual
results may differ materially from those set forth in this press
release due to risks affecting the Company, including access to
capital, the successful completion of clinical trials and receipt
of all regulatory approvals. Immunovaccine Inc. assumes no
responsibility to update forward-looking statements in this press
release except as required by law.
Contacts for Immunovaccine:
MEDIAMike Beyer, Sam Brown
Inc.T: (312) 961-2503 E: mikebeyer@sambrown.com
INVESTOR RELATIONSPierre Labbé, Chief
Financial OfficerT: (581) 741-6639 E:
info@imvaccine.com
Patti Bank, Managing Director, Westwicke
Partners O: (415) 513-1284 T: (415) 515-4572
E: patti.bank@westwicke.com
IMV (TSX:IMV)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
IMV (TSX:IMV)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024