HUDDINGE, Sweden, Aug. 28, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Board of Directors of Tripep has decided to form a new vaccine development company in the U.S. together with researchers at the Vaccine Research Institute of San Diego (VRISD). The company will be known as VLP Biotech Inc and will be based in San Diego, California. Tripep's initial investment of USD 500,000 will give it a 30 per cent holding in the company. Initially, the company will be focusing on developing a general vaccine against the Influenza A virus, as well as vaccines against Alzheimer's disease and for use in treating allergies. The company is being formed so that Tripep and VRISD may both capitalise on the latter's unique vaccine platform, which is based on virus-like particles (VLP). Tripep's scientific contribution to the joint company will consist of participating in the preparation and development of the vaccine structures that will then be integrated into VLP Biotech's vaccine platform. One of the members of VLP Biotechs Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) will be Dr. Maurice Hilleman, Director of the Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research. Dr. Hilleman in his capacity as head of Merck Sharp & Dohme's vaccine division has led the development of vaccines against measles, mumps, and rubella as well as hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
Influenza A
Background facts:
The Influenza A virus causes the disease that crops up every winter and is commonly known as influenza or the flu. The Influenza A virus is able to reappear at regular intervals because the virus undergoes major or minor changes to its outer shell. These changes make certain risk groups, such as the elderly, people with immune deficiencies and people with chronic heart or pulmonary diseases, susceptible to re-infection every winter despite repeated vaccinations. The Influenza A virus is estimated to be linked to between 30,000 and 50,000 deaths in the U.S. every year, and each year a vaccine based on the Influenza A variant current that year is produced.
Market:
The global market for an Influenza A vaccine is estimated to be worth around USD 1 billion, and is likely to double over the upcoming five-year period.
VLP Biotech's contribution:
VLP Biotech is developing a vaccine based on parts of the Influenza A virus that do not undergo change. This vaccine is intended to replace or complement existing Influenza A vaccines. During the autumn of 2003, the first vaccine candidates are to be evaluated with regard to their efficacy in an infectious animal model.
Alzheimer's disease
Background facts:
Alzheimer's disease is the most common and best-known form of dementia, and between 50 and 70 per cent of patients suffering from dementia have Alzheimer's disease. The disease attacks the brain's nerve cells, particularly those located in the temporal and parietal lobes. The neuronal axons degenerate, disrupting normal contact with other nerve cells, and eventually the nerve cells simply die.
Market:
In the U.S. alone, some 4 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease. Around 14 million people in the U.S. are anticipated to be suffering from the disease in 2050. Some 10 per cent of people over the age of 65 and some 50 per cent of those over 85 have Alzheimer's. The average lifetime cost for one patient is around SEK 1.4 million.
VLP Biotech's contribution:
VLP Biotech is working on a vaccine that will activate antibodies directed at the amyloid protein. The idea of the vaccine is to delay or prevent the progress of the disease. Excellent animal models are now available for the evaluation of the vaccine's efficacy.
Allergy
Background facts:
Allergies to plants and animals are a common and growing problem in the western world. It is estimated that some 100 to 150 million people all over the world suffer from some form of asthma, which is closely linked to allergies. One of the common denominators for most forms of allergy is that an allergen binds to IgE molecules, which in turn bind to immune cells, causing an allergic reaction that is caused by the release of histamine. There are currently several different forms of allergy treatment available, including anti-histamines, active immunisation or hypo sensitisation, as well as passive immunisation.
Market:
It is estimated that about 150 million people in the Western world suffer from some sort of allergy. The global market for asthma and allergy medicines is estimated to be more than USD 10 billion.
VLP Biotech's contribution:
VLP Biotech has started the development of two different types of allergy vaccine. One of these will work generally by preventing IgE from causing the release of histamine, while the other will prevent IgE from binding to different allergens.
"The jointly owned vaccine company will in the best way formalise and exploit the unique skills within Tripep and VRISD. The first three vaccine candidates address important diseases and have all the potential of becoming so called block busters," says professor Anders Vahlne, head of research at Tripep.
For more information, please contact Anders Vahlne, VP, Head of Research Tel.: +46 8 5858 1313, mobile phone: +46 709 28 05 28 E-mail: anders.vahlne@labmed.ki.se
Tripep is a biotechnology research company that develops and commercialises candidate drugs based on patented technologies. Its main focuses are:
-- research and development of a potential HIV-inhibiting drug,
-- preclinical research focusing on the development of therapeutic
and prophylactic vaccines against HIV and Hepatitis C, and
-- the RAS (R) technology platform.
For more details of the company's technologies, please refer to the company's web site at www.tripep.se
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