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The separate studies, conducted by Cytel scientists and their academic collaborators, used cells from humans that had been infected with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or P. falciparum (the causative agent of malaria). Results from those studies were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Journal of Immunology and Immunity, respectively.
"From a pharmaceutical development standpoint, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) diversity is the most significant hurdle to developing epitope-based vaccines, a promising approach for both therapeutic and prophylactic use," said Dr. Robert Chesnut, executive vice president of Epimmune. "These studies, from several laboratories and in several diseases, demonstrate that MHC diversity can be overcome. The path to developing epitope-based vaccines has become much more straightforward."
The immune response is regulated by MHC genes that, although related, are diverse in the world's population.
"The Epimmune technology enables us to select a limited set of disease-specific epitopes which will induce an immune response in a broad population of individuals with different MHC genes. For a specific disease, we expect to be able to provide coverage for at least 90 percent of the world's population with a vaccine which incorporates only a few epitopes."
Epimmune's approach to creating novel prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines utilizes antigen fragments called epitopes that are recognized by the immune system. Combining selected epitopes from various cancer antigens or infectious organisms allows the induction of protective immune responses that cannot be generated using whole antigens or large antigen fragments.
At the same time, the use of epitopes provides a greater margin of safety over whole antigens, as the synthetically produced epitopes cannot cause infection or alter the body's normal biological functions.
Epimmune has patents and pending patent applications covering the selection and use of epitopes, as well as thousands of specific epitopes covering many types of cancer and infectious diseases. Epimmune has recently announced its intention to enter a research and development collaboration in the cancer field with G.D. Searly, a wholly owned subsidiary of Monsanto.
Epimmune Inc., a subsidiary of Cytel, is focused on the discovery and development of a new generation of safer, more potent vaccines for the prevention and treatment of cancer and infectious diseases.
Cytel Corp. is a leader in the discovery and development of cell adhesion inhibitors for treatment of acute and chronic inflammation, and in the manufacture of bioactive carbohydrates for use in medical and consumer products.
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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 successfully negotiating and completing definitive agreements for any corporate collaboration, 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.
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CONTACT: Epimmune, San Diego Robert Chesnut, 619/552-3000
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