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PRNewswire - December 4, 2000
Valentis has granted Epimmune a non-exclusive license to certain patented and non-patented technology for use in developing DNA vaccines against HIV and HCV in exchange for undisclosed upfront, milestone and royalty payments.
"The licensing of Valentis' delivery technology should help expedite the clinical development of our HIV and HCV programs," said Robert Chesnut, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Research and Development for Epimmune. "Working together with Valentis, we have developed pre-clinical data demonstrating that one of the PINC(TM) formulations is very effective at delivering our EpiGene vaccines. We believe that access to this technology provides us with a proven means of delivering our epitope-based DNA vaccines."
"This is the first license we have granted for our vaccine delivery technologies," said Gregory M. McKee, Valentis' Senior Director of Business Development. "The collaboration with Epimmune supports our strategy of leveraging our gene delivery and expression technology platforms across multiple product opportunities. DNA vaccines are an exciting new area and we are pleased that Epimmune chose our delivery and expression technologies for incorporation into their products."
Valentis' formulated PINC(TM) polymer gene delivery technology licensed to Epimmune produces a strong and reproducible humoral and cellular response in animal models. PINC(TM) polymers are also being used in Valentis' Interferon-a and Interleukin-12 gene medicines that are currently in Phase II clinical trials.
Epimmune's genetic vaccines contain EpiGenes(TM), DNA sequences from HIV or HCV that code for protein fragments (epitopes) that stimulate cytotoxic and helper T cell responses. These immune responses are important natural defenses against infection.
Epimmune Inc. is a leader in using gene maps of cancer-associated proteins and infectious agents to design vaccines that induce cellular immunity. The company's technology platform is based on its pioneering work in deciphering the genetic code which regulates T-cell activation and identifying antigen fragments known as epitopes which can activate highly targeted T-cell responses to tumors, viruses, bacteria and parasites. This new field of pharmacology opens two new areas of pharmaceutical development: protective vaccines that activate T-cell protection against infections, such as HIV and hepatitis C, and therapeutic vaccines designed to stimulate antigen-specific T-cell responses to infections, such as HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B, and tumors such as breast, colon, lung and prostate.
Valentis, Inc. is a leader in the field of biopharmaceutical delivery. The Company develops a broad array of products, proprietary technologies and intellectual property and applies its preclinical and early clinical development expertise to create novel therapeutics and improved versions of existing marketed biopharmaceuticals. Valentis' core technologies include multiple gene delivery and gene expression systems and PEGylation technologies designed to improve the safety, efficacy and dosing characteristics of genes, proteins, peptides, peptidomimetics, antibodies, replicating and non replicating viruses and liposomes. The Company focuses its research and development efforts in several therapeutic areas including cardiovascular disorders, oncology, hematology and immunology.
These technologies are covered by a broad patent portfolio that includes issued U.S. and European claims. Valentis' commercial strategy is to enter into corporate collaborations for full-scale clinical development and marketing and sales of products. Together, Valentis and its wholly owned subsidiary PolyMASC Pharmaceuticals, currently have corporate collaborations with Roche Holdings, Eli Lilly, Glaxo Wellcome, Boehringer Ingelheim, Heska Corporation, Eurogene, Transkaryotic Therapies, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Viragen, Flemington Pharmaceuticals and Bayer International, and a manufacturing partnership (the pAlliance) with DSM Biologics and Qiagen N.V. Additional information about Valentis can be found at http://www.valentis.com.
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are "forward looking" statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believes," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," variations of such words, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could affect Valentis' actual results include the need for additional capital, the early stage of product development, uncertainties related to clinical trials, and uncertainties related to patent position. There can be no assurance that Valentis will be able to develop commercially viable gene medicines or PEGylated biopharmaceuticals, that any of the company's programs will be partnered with pharmaceutical partners, that necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained, or that any clinical trial will be successful. Actual results may differ from those projected in the forward-looking statement due to risks and uncertainties that exist in the companies' operations and business environments. These are described more fully in the Valentis Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended June 30, 2000 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2000, each as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Valentis, Inc. Web Site: http://www.valentis.com Company News On Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/102818.html or fax, 800-758-5804, ext. 102818
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