PRNewswire - December 9, 2002

At the Retroviruses meeting, the Company will present its data in a poster entitled, "HIV-gp41 Peptides based on IL-2 Structural Homologies are More Potent Inhibitors of HIV-1 Replication." The poster will describe preclinical research concerning novel, gp41-derived peptides that are designed to inhibit HIV without the detrimental impact of immunosuppression. The presentation's lead author is Joseph Mosca, Ph.D., Vice President, Development at Mymetics, and will appear Tuesday, February 11, Session Time 1:30 - 3:30 pm. Mymetics' Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. P.F. Serres, a co-author will also be present.

Data presented at the Retrovirus Conference focus on the exceptionally potent blocking ability of several Mymetics peptides in vitro against a range of more than 10 clades or strains of HIV. In certain cases, the Mymetics peptides' in vitro activity matches or exceeds the entry inhibitor agents recently shown to reduce viral load in human clinical trials.

Previously, at the recent Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), the Company presented data on two novel gp41-derived peptides, each of which demonstrated potent inhibition of HIV in vitro. In addition, Mymetics' research teams have confirmed antigenic cross-reactivity between gp41, an HIV surface protein, and IL-2, a critical cytokine that Mymetics dubs the "maestro" of the immune response. This demonstrated mimicry between gp41 and IL-2 allows gp41 to bind to the host cell's receptor for IL-2, which the Company believes is a critical step leading to immunosuppression.

Mimicry appears to provoke the body's own immune system into attacking IL-2 and those cells that produce IL-2, which may explain why HIV infection leads to AIDS and ultimately the fatal breakdown of the body's immune system. When antibodies and killer T-cells mount an attack against gp41, they also attack the host cell that is the source of IL-2, compromising the body's ability to defend itself. (IL-2 stimulates the normal activity of immune cells, including those generated to fight retroviral infection.) In addition, by binding to the IL-2 receptor, gp41 interferes with the normal activity of IL-2.

The Company intends to begin in vivo testing on its lead drug candidates within the next 9 months and anticipates the initiation of clinical trials in 2004.

Anti-Retroviral Programs

Based on the Company's approach to molecular mimicry, Mymetics' scientists are pursuing multiple programs in retroviral diseases:

HIV Therapeutics: Mymetics is in the preclinical phase, developing and testing peptides and other compounds that adhere to gp41 or the IL-2 receptor site without suppressing the immune system. The Company's focus leverages its fundamental insight into gp41/IL-2 mimicry.

HIV Vaccine: The Company's researchers are also seeking to create a modified form of gp41 that generates an immune response against the viral protein, but not against IL-2.

Therapeutics to treat additional retroviruses: Mymetics is studying other retroviruses, including FIV and HTLV, which also display a form of mimicry. Some of these viruses are associated with diseases including certain leukemias (oncoviruses) and multiple sclerosis.

About Mymetics

Mymetics is an international biotechnology company developing therapeutic products and vaccines against retroviruses. The Company's R&D pipeline focuses on programs in HIV infection, as well as additional retroviruses associated with diseases that include certain leukemias (oncoviruses) and multiple sclerosis. Mymetics' key discovery-a subtle mimicry between HIV and the host cells-forms the basis of the Company's platform technology and pipeline.

http://www.mymetics.com

Certain statements included herein are "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Management cautions that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company to differ include, but are not necessarily limited to, those regarding the Company's ability to continue existing development programs, the ability of Mymetics to develop and partner products based on its platform technology, Mymetics' ability to fund such efforts with or without partners, and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Mymetics' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Registration Statement (file no. 333-88782) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 8, 2002.

Contact:

Mymetics Corp.

Peter P. McCann, Ph.D

Chief Executive Officer

410-990-9501

Burns McClellan

Jonathan M. Nugent (investors)

Kathy L. Jones, Ph.D. (media)

212-213-0006

SOURCE Mymetics Corporation

Web Site: http://www.mymetics.com

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