PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (NYSE Amex:HEB) (the "Company") today announced that Dr. Hasegawa, Director, at the Japanese National Institute of Infectious Diseases ("JIID") will present data on one of Hemispherx's lead compounds, Ampligen(r)(Poly I : Poly C12U) at the 18th Conference of the Japanese Society of Vaccinology, Sapporo, Japan on September 26 and 27, 2009. The paper is titled "Formulations and Efficacy of the Influenza Vaccine Administered Intranasally."
Comparative analysis will be presented on efficacy of influenza vaccines administered to monkeys with and without Ampligen(R) (an experimental therapeutic). Dr. Hasegawa is expected to conclude that his formulation of pandemic vaccine mixed with Ampligen(R) increases immuno-genicity and may demonstrate cross protection against mutated strains.
Hemispherx will undertake steps to obtain a transcript of the presentation. If successful, the full transcript will be posted on the company's website http://www.hemispherx.net.
About Hemispherx Biopharma
Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. is an advanced specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the manufacture and clinical development of new drug entities for treatment of seriously debilitating disorders. Hemispherx's flagship products include Alferon N Injection(R) (FDA approved for a category of sexually transmitted diseases) and the experimental therapeutics Ampligen(R) Oragens(R), and Alferon LDO. Ampligen(R) and Oragens(R) represent experimental RNA nucleic acids being developed for globally important debilitating diseases and disorders of the immune system. Hemispherx's platform technology includes large and small agent components for potential treatment of various severely debilitating and life threatening diseases. Hemispherx has in excess of 50 patents comprising its core intellectual property estate and a fully commercialized product (Alferon N Injection(R)). The Company wholly owns and exclusively operates a GMP certified manufacturing facility in the United States for commercial products. For more information please visit www.hemispherx.net.
Information contained in this news release other than historical information, should be considered forward-looking and is subject to various risk factors and uncertainties. For instance, the strategies and operations of Hemispherx involve risk of competition, changing market conditions, change in laws and regulations affecting these industries and numerous other factors discussed in this release and in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any specifically referenced investigational drugs and associated technologies of the Company (including Ampligen(R), Alferon(R) LDO and Oragens(R)) are experimental in nature and as such are not designated safe and effective by a regulatory authority for general use and are legally available only through clinical trials with the referenced disorders. The forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Clinical trials for other potential indications of the approved biologic Alferon N Injection(R) do not imply that the product will ever be specifically approved commercially for these other treatment indications; Similarly, the completion of NDA filing process with Ampligen(R) does not imply that the product will ever be approved commercially.