Immune Network to Start Clinical Trial of Oral Mycobacterium Vaccae in Tuberculosis Patients
10 August 2011 - 7:00PM
Immune Network Ltd., (Pink Sheets:IMMFF), reports that its business
partner Immunitor company has launched a Phase 2 clinical trial of
a novel anti-tuberculosis immunotherapy consisting of
orally-delivered, heat-inactivated Mycobacterium vaccae. The new
tableted preparation was formulated according to clinically
validated proprietary technology developed by Immunitor company.
In extensive worldwide studies conducted during the past 30
years, the injectable version of M. vaccae has shown activity
against drug-resistant TB and TB with HIV co-infection. Encouraging
results from Phase 3 study of intradermal inoculation of M. vaccae
in Tanzania, sponsored by the NIH, were published last year by
investigators from the Dartmouth Medical School. So far this is the
only TB vaccine candidate to reach Phase 3 level. However, due to
inconvenience associated with invasive delivery of M. vaccae, which
leaves permanent skin scars, coupled with infrequent dosing
schedule, occasionally producing less-than-desired activity, the
new oral formula of M. vaccae has been designed. It is easy to
administer and its daily scheduled dose to be taken along with
standard TB drugs is expected to boost the activity and shorten
treatment duration down to one month instead of harrowing 6-24
months required to complete TB treatment.
This study is the second trial of oral M. vaccae. The first
trial was conducted last year in Argentina under the leadership of
Prof. John Stanford, one of the original innovators of M. vaccae
immunotherapy and now a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of
Immodulon Therapeutics based in London, UK. The outcome of his
study produced convincing evidence that an oral formulation was
safe and had biological activity not inferior to the original
formula. As products containing M. vaccae have been already
approved for sale in China and there is orphan drug designation for
treatment of TB in the European Union and USA, it is expected that
M. vaccae will have faster time to market in those regions.
The new pill formulation of M. vaccae as adjunct immunotherapy
will be initially tested for one month in 20 individuals diagnosed
with TB to determine whether it enhances the pharmacological
activity of anti-TB drugs. These results will be compared to the
control group where patients will receive TB drugs along with
placebo pills. Immunitor has built considerable experience in
conducting such trials and had recently completed a 120-patient
placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial with a similar oral immune
modulator, V5 Immunitor, which within one month produced 5-fold
higher clearance of TB mycobacteria in sputum samples of treated
patients. The favorable outcome was observed regardless of whether
TB patients were drug-sensitive, drug-resistant, e.g., MDR-TB, or
had HIV co-infection.
Tuberculosis along with HIV and malaria is the most serious
infectious disease in the world. Today, one third of the world's
population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis – the
infectious pathogen that causes tuberculosis. It has been estimated
that every second someone in the world is infected, and that every
year around nine million people will develop the disease and 1.7
million people will die from it. The WHO estimates that between
2000 and 2020, nearly a billion new people will be infected, of
which 200 million will develop the disease, and 35 million will die
if there is no improvement in handling the infection. Immune
interventions with anti-mycobacterial vaccines such as M. vaccae
may offer a solution to the current crisis.
The Immune Network Ltd logo is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8008
Safe Harbor Statement
The information in this release, other than historical
information, may be considered forward-looking statements within
the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Projection and other forward-looking statements and
management expectations regarding future events and/or financial
performance of the Company -- although given in good faith -- are
inherently uncertain and actual events and/or results may differ
materially.
CONTACT: Immune Network Ltd
IMMFF at yahoo.com
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