Retroscreen Virology Ltd - To test PepTcell Ltd’s flu vaccine
01 Feb 2010
Retroscreen Virology Limited, a global leader in anti-viral research, clinical trials and experimental challenge studies, is pleased to announce that it will be participating in a clinical trial with PepTcell Limited to test Flu-v, part of a new class of influenza T cell vaccines.
Following the recent launch of PepTcell’s HIV vaccine clinical trial, Flu-v has been developed to provide a single treatment flu vaccine which is effective against all strains of flu virus, including pandemic strains. PepTcell has successfully identified regions of flu virus that have not changed over 60 years, in both human and animal strains of the virus. This allows Flu-v to target conserved regions of the virus conferring long-term protection against the threat of all emerging strains.
Flu-v delivers only regions of selected influenza proteins to the immune system. This ensures that the immune system has a strong response only to these conserved regions rather then there being a response to both variable and conserved regions. This avoids the issue of lack of control over how many immune cells develop to each region. It therefore offers the potential of people only requiring one vaccination to protect them for long periods of time.
Unlike traditional vaccines which are grown in highly specialised facilities and whose production is limited by egg supply and the process of growing a vaccine, Flu-v can be quickly and easily manufactured in chemical plants. This allows the vaccine to be made and administered in large quantities prior to a pandemic outbreak, enabling a large proportion of the world to be protected.
Retroscreen, which is the only company in the world that has the facilities to expose people to the flu, in carefully-controlled experimental conditions, will begin tests PepTcell’s vaccine this spring.
Professor John Oxford, Scientific Director of Retroscreen Virology Limited, commented: “At a recent conference we have published data that showed that volunteers with high cell mediated immunity have reduced flu symptoms when we deliberately infect them in our quarantine unit. The recent swine flu outbreak has clearly exposed the need for new vaccines, such as PepTcell’s, which are broadly effective against a range of influenza viruses and therefore can be produced very quickly.”
Dr. Robert Lambkin-Williams, CEO of Retroscreen Virology Limited, commented: "We are delighted to be involved with PepTcell to assist in the development of the Flu-v vaccine. The PepTcell team have proven themselves to be great innovators in this field in developing a vaccine with the potential to have a dual unique selling point of being both a universal vaccine for a number of viral strains and also cost effective to manufacture. Retroscreen is consolidating its position as the world’s leading CRO in the development of novel influenza vaccines. Retroscreen sees significant growth in this area with a strong pipeline of similar work over the coming months."
The trials are expected to commence in May following the completion of the Phase I trials that are due to commence imminently.
For further information:
Retroscreen Virology
Limited
Robert Lambkin-Williams, CEO Tel:
+44 (0) 20 8709 4900
http://www.retroscreen.com/
Media enquiries:
Abchurch
Stephanie Cuthbert /
Simone Alves Tel: +44 (0) 20 7398 7700
Notes to Editors
About Retroscreen Virology
Ltd
RVL is unique in being the only contract research
organisation (CRO) in the world that offers experimental infection
studies with viruses in human volunteers under quarantine
conditions (human challenge studies). Founded in 1989 by John
Oxford, Professor of Virology, University of London, the Company, a
global leader in anti-viral research, designs and coordinates
clinical trials for global pharmaceutical and biotechnology
companies that are developing novel antiviral drugs and vaccines.
To date, RVL has conducted over 30 such quarantines, infecting over
700 volunteers. Experimental challenge studies can help reduce both
the cost and the duration of drug development by accelerating the
selection of dose and dosing regimes for later licensing studies.
RVL is ISO9001 accredited and is partnered with a number of leading
UK universities, including Queen Mary, University of London.
Clinical trials: RVL offers a comprehensive service from protocol and case report form design through to effecting and co-ordinating the study. The Company is especially renowned for its unique experimental challenge studies, conducted under strict quarantine conditions at its UK Flu Camps (see http://www.flucamp.com/).
Analytical Services and Clinical Trial Support: RVL has invested in the development and optimisation of in vitro antiviral assay techniques to support clinical studies. The Company specialises in assays for respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV, and rhinovirus (the common cold), as well as gastrointestinal viruses among others.
For more information on RVL please visit http://www.retroscreen.com/.
About PepTcell Ltd
PepTcell is a privately held biotech company with a focus on the development of vaccines for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. It was formed in 2004, and is funded through high net worth individuals. The Company’s portfolio covers three main areas: immunotherapeutics, reprofiled drugs and metabolic disease.
PepTcell has HIV and Influenza vaccine at a clinical stage of development, with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rotavirus and Malaria at preclinical stages. The Company also has preclinical reprofiling programmes for breast cancer and respiratory and inflammatory disease, and it is working on metabolic disease, with preclinical programs in obesity and diabetes.
For further information please visit the website at http://www.peptcell.com/
About PepTcell’s Influenza Vaccine – Flu-v
The Company’s lead product, Flu-v, has been developed to provide a single treatment flu vaccine which is effective against all strains of flu virus, including pandemic strains.
Current flu vaccines only work against specific virus strains. As these strains mutate frequently, vaccines also need to be updated. As such they do not provide protection against emerging flu strains, such as seasonal or avian flu. Using a novel proprietary epitope prediction algorithm, PepTcell has successfully identified immunogenic regions of flu virus that have not changed over 60 years, in both human and animal strains of the virus. This allows Flu-v to target conserved regions of the virus conferring long-term protection against the threat of emerging strains.
