HELIX BIOPHARMA CORP.
NEWS RELEASE
TSE & VSE: "HBP"
JANUARY 28, 1999
SUCCESSFUL INJECTIONLESS DELIVERY OF VACCINES
(Aurora, Ontario) - Dr. Marianna Foldvari, Director of Pharmaceutical
Research for Helix BioPharma Corp., and Dr. Lorne Babiuk, Director of the
University of Saskatchewan's Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization,
reported today at Helix's Annual General Meeting in Toronto that vaccines
have been successfully delivered transdermally in mice utilizing the
BiphasixTM delivery system.
These vaccine results complement the Company's earlier announcement in
November 1998 that the BiphasixTM delivery system had been successfully used
to deliver a large therapeutic protein, interferon-", transdermally without
the need for an injection.
Furthermore, vaccine research using proprietary lipid-based delivery systems
clearly showed that a single intranasal immunization generated a significant
immune response in mice. When these immunized mice were exposed to the
disease, they were 15 times more likely to survive than the mice which were
not immunized.
According to Dr. Foldvari, these results signify a major step forward in the
development of the Company's delivery systems for human and veterinary
vaccine applications.
The market for vaccines is currently in excess of US$ 4 billion worldwide
and growing at more than 10% per year.
With most vaccines and macromolecular therapeutics being delivered by
injection, and more than 500 such large molecules and vaccines in the
regulatory process in the United States, the BiphasixTM delivery system has
the potential to replace or complement injections by taking molecules of
varying sizes into and through the skin.
The Toronto and Vancouver Stock Exchanges have not reviewed and do not
accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this
News Release. Information contained in this news release includes
forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially.
Helix BioPharma trades on the TSE and VSE under the symbol "HBP"
For further information contact: Investor Relations
Helix BioPharma Corp.
Tel: (905) 841-2300 ext. 232
Fax: (905) 841-2244
E-mail invrelations@helixbiopharma.ca |
