Steve and all: here's the press release from Novavax on their flu vaccine using IL-1beta as adjuvent.
Thursday December 18, 9:47 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Novavax, Inc.
Flu Vaccine Response Boosted By Novavax Technology
COLUMBIA, Md., Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Novavax, Inc. (Amex: NOX - news) said its Novasome(R)
microencapsulation technology combined with recombinant Interleukin-1 beta boosted the immune response of a commercial
influenza A vaccine in animal trials.
The results provide new clues on possible ways to alleviate potential influenza vaccine supply shortages by lowering the vaccine
dose required per patient to confer immunity.
Scientists reported that inoculation with purified recombinant IL-1 beta and commercial influenza A vaccine encapsulated in
Novasomes induced a more rapid, much stronger immune response than inoculation with the vaccine alone.
In two separate intramuscular dosings with the experimental product, average serum titers were two-fold higher after the first
inoculation and three-fold higher after the second inoculation than without use of IL-1 beta.
No toxic effects were observed compared with the control (influenza vaccine alone).
Novavax has developed several proprietary Novasome adjuvants, one of which was used to encapsulate the IL-1 beta
supplied by Cistron Biotechnology, Inc. of Pine Brook, NJ. Based on this study and others, Novavax believes its Novasome
technology holds the potential of broad application in the field of immunology.
The research, which was conducted by scientists at Novavax and Cistron, showed that encapsulation of antigen into
Novasomes with IL-1 beta as adjuvant may be a viable strategy for boosting the effectiveness of the vaccines.
The Company currently has three product candidates in human clinical testing: ESTRASORB(TM), a topical estrogen
replacement cream for menopausal and post menopausal women, ANDROSORB(TM), a topical testosterone cream for
testosterone deficient men and Helicore(TM) an oral antibacterial preparation developed to eradicate Helicobacter pylori
bacteria, the principal cause of peptic ulcers and various gastric disorders.
Novavax, Inc. is a bio-pharmaceutical drug delivery company. This press release may contain forward-looking information and
should be read in conjunction with Exhibit 99 to the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
Statements made in this press release that state the Company's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or
predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ
materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements.
Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking
statements is contained from time to time in the company's SEC filings, including but not limited to the Company's report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996; and the Company's reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March
31, 1997, June 30, 1997 and September 30, 1997. Copies of these filings may be obtained by contacting the Company or the
SEC.
SOURCE: Novavax, Inc. |
