BioQuest Inc. and Biovector Therapeutics S.A. Sign a `Heads of
Agreement' on HIV/AIDS Immunotherapeutic /
Protective Vaccine Development
Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers
HOUSTON--(BW HealthWire)--April 13, 2000--BioQuest Inc. (Pink
Sheets:HIVX) announced today that the company has signed an agreement
with Biovector Therapeutics S.A. (www.biovector.com) of Labege,
France. The agreement calls for BioQuest and Biovector to begin
cooperation in the evaluation and development of an HIV vaccine
candidate to be used as a therapeutic immune system stimulant capable
of fighting HIV infection in infected individuals, with the subsequent
additional goal of examining its use as a protective vaccine. The
Agreement contemplates the payment of royalties to BioQuest on
eventual product sales and milestone payments to BioQuest as
development goals are met.
BioQuest's technology is licensed from The University of Texas
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (M.D. Anderson). The technology was
developed by a team led by Ralph Arlinghaus, Ph.D., currently chair of
the Department of Molecular Pathology at M.D.Anderson and formerly
Director of Vaccine Development at the Johnson and Johnson Inc.
(NYSE:JNJ) R.W. Johnson Biotechnology Research Center in La Jolla,
Calif., and Jagan Sastry, Ph.D., currently an associate professor at
the M.D. Anderson Science Park Veterinary Research facility in
Bastrop, Texas. This team has developed technology that describes a
"cocktail" of peptides, or fragments of the HIV protein envelope (U.S.
Patent 5,128,319) which, according to the patent, have "the capacity
to induce cytotoxic T-cell activation to the corresponding native HIV
protein." The Arlinghaus/Sastry approach concentrates on the
production of "Killer T-Cells" (cytotoxic lymphcytes, CTL) which have
shown the ability to destroy HIV infected cells.
Biovector's technology is licensed from a group of French Academic
Institutes, including INSERM (Institut National de la Sante et
Recherche Medicale) and Institut Pasteur de Lille (IPL). A team of
Investigators at INSERM and IPL, led by Dr. Jean Gerard Guillet and
Dr. Helene Gras Masse have patented the technology (U.S. Patents
6,015,564 and 5,993,823) of inducing cellular immune responses using
lipopeptide constructs to deliver CTL inducing antigens through the
MHC Class I pathway. These constructs, integrating relevant fragments
of multiple HIV proteins, have already been tested in healthy human
volunteers in a safety study in France showing their potential utility
as vaccine candidates. Dr. Guillet is currently head of the Laboratory
of Immunology of Infectious and Tumoral Diseases at Cochin Hospital,
in Paris. Professor Gras-Masse is head of the group of Chemistry of
Biomolecules at the Institute of Biology of Lille.
BioQuest's Chairman of the Board-designate M. Ross Johnson, Ph.D.,
formerly president and CEO of Trimeris Inc. (Nasdaq:TRMS) stated, "We
are pleased to have Biovector as a partner. They bring substantial
expertise and resources to the project." BioQuest's R. Wayne
Fritzsche, formerly one of the founders of Immune Response
(Nasdaq:IMNR) said, "It is exciting to contemplate the prospect of
finally solving the nearly two decade old riddle of an effective HIV
vaccine."
This press release contains certain forward looking statements
within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are made
based on management's current expectations and beliefs. Actual results
may vary from those currently anticipated based upon a number of
factors, including uncertainties inherent in the drug development
process, the timing and success of clinical trials, and the receipt of
necessary approvals from the United States Food and Drug
Administration. The company undertakes no obligation to release
publicly any revisions which may be made to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof. |
