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Strategies & Market Trends : Three Amigos Stock Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Ditchdigger who wrote (12682)1/14/1999 12:23:00 PM
From: lostmymoney  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 29382
 
I don't know about anyone else, but my watch list is all green and my actual portfolio is all red. (except for PQT) that traitor! Anybody relate? I do not want to feel like a loner here.

Mike



To: Ditchdigger who wrote (12682)1/14/1999 12:26:00 PM
From: MoneyMade  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 29382
 
CYTL---load up!!!Epitope-Based Vaccine Promising for
HIV Treatment and Prevention

KEYSTONE, Colo.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 14, 1999--Epimmune Inc., a majority-owned
subsidiary of Cytel Corp. (Nasdaq:CYTL - news), today announced presentations by its scientists
and collaborators of initial data suggesting that epitope-based vaccines hold promise for the control
of HIV infection.

Data from two HIV related model studies were presented at the ''Conference on HIV Vaccine
Development'' in Keystone, Colo.

''These initial results provide further support for our continued pursuit of development of an
epitope-based HIV vaccine,'' said Robert W. Chesnut, Ph.D., executive vice president, Research
and Development of Epimmune. ''In one study involving macaque monkeys, a significant cytotoxic
T-cell (CTL) response was induced in all vaccinated animals. The other study, conducted in
transgenic mice, demonstrated the ability of our EpiGeneā„¢ construct to simultaneously induce
potent responses to multiple CTL epitopes.''

The first study involved macaque monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), an
AIDS-like virus. Prior to infection with SIV, three monkeys were vaccinated with a single CTL
epitope using a Dermal PowderJect® Delivery System. In all three vaccinated animals, a significant
CTL response was induced against the epitope, while no CTL response was detected in the four
unvaccinated animals.

During the eight weeks after infection with a highly virulent strain of SIV, the three vaccinated
monkeys produced CTL responses that peaked three weeks sooner than the non-vaccinated
animals -- an event thought to be important for combating virus infection. The monkey with the most
significant CTL response showed a greatly reduced (close to 95 percent) level of virus in the blood.

''These results support the idea that CTL play a central role in the control of SIV and HIV
infections,'' stated David I. Watkins, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology at the Wisconsin Regional
Primate Research Center (WPRC), and Principal Investigator of the macaque study. ''The data
also demonstrate that epitopes can be used to target and activate a strong immune response. We
plan to further evaluate the potential of epitope-based vaccines using multiple SIV epitopes.''

Collaborating with Dr. Watkins on the macaque study were Drs. Alessandro Sette (Epimmune);
Todd Allen (WPRC); Tomas Hanke and Andrew McMichael (Oxford University); John Altman
(Emory University); and Deborah Fuller (PowderJect Vaccines).

In parallel with the macaque work, Epimmune scientists have defined multiple epitopes from HIV
that are being used to create a multi-epitope human vaccine. Results of this work in transgenic mice
were also presented at the conference.

The data demonstrated the effective delivery of multiple human HIV epitopes using the EpiGene
construct, a DNA vector encoding the selected epitope sequences. The results showed that multiple
HIV epitopes, specific for different HIV antigens, could simultaneously induce strong CTL
responses to each of the epitopes.

''Both the breadth and strength of responses are believed to be very important for controlling the
viral infection,'' added Dr. Chesnut. ''Based on results to date in model systems, we believe that an
EpiGene vaccine has the potential to induce CTL responses that are more potent and target more
epitopes than vaccines using whole proteins or genes.''

Epimmune Inc., established in October 1997, is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cytel Corp.
(Nasdaq:CYTL - news), operating under separate management and financing. Applying its
substantial immunology expertise and scientific leadership in the field of T-cell recognition and
activation, Epimmune is developing novel vaccines which stimulate the body's immune system to
treat and prevent infectious diseases and cancer.

Epimmune is collaborating with G.D. Searle & Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Monsanto Co.
[NYSE:MCT - news], to develop immune stimulating products for the treatment of cancer.
Additional product targets include prophylactic vaccines for hepatitis C, HIV and malaria and
therapeutic vaccines for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

This press release includes forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views of
future events. Actual results may differ materially from the above forward-looking statements due to
a number of important factors, including but not limited to the risks associated with achievement of
research and development objectives by the Company and any collaborator, the timing and cost of
conducting human clinical trials, the regulatory approval process, and the possibility that testing may
reveal undesirable and unintended side effects or other characteristics that may prevent or limit the
commercial use of proposed products. These factors are more fully discussed in Cytel's most recent
Forms 10-K and 10-Q.

Contact:

Epimmune Inc.
Deborah Schueren, 619/404-7171
or
Mentus Inc.
Kelly Leggio, 619/455-5500, ext. 129

More Quotes
and News:
Cytel Corp (Nasdaq:CYTL - news)
Monsanto Co (NYSE:MCT - news)