Paris, November 18, 2009 -- Neovacs, a biotechnology company developing proprietary immunotherapeutics for autoimmune and chronic diseases, today announced that its Chief Medical Officer Pierre Vandepapeliere will present preliminary data from the ongoing Phase I/II trial of TNFa Kinoid in Crohn’s disease patients at the GASTRO 2009 conference (to be held on November 21st to 25th in London).
Dr Vandepapeliere’s oral presentation entitled “Therapeutic immunization against TNFa with a TNFa-Kinoid in Crohn’s disease patients is safe and induces anti-TNFa antibodies”, will be made at 9.50 am on Wednesday, November 25th, as part of the session on “Anti-TNFa therapies in IBD: current to future”.
Neovacs’ TNFa Kinoid is in clinical development for the treatment of TNFa-mediated autoimmune and chronic diseases. Later this year, Neovacs expects to initiate a Phase II study of its TNFa Kinoid in rheumatoid arthritis patients who have lost response to a TNFa inhibitor. This study will be part-funded by significant support from OSEO/ISI, the French state innovation agency. A Phase II study in Crohn’s patients is also planned for 2010.
About Neovacs
Neovacs is a biotechnology company focused on an active immunotherapy technology platform with applications in autoimmune diseases and other chronic conditions. It was founded as a spin-off from Pierre & Marie Curie University in Paris by Professor Daniel Zagury, MD, one of the world’s leading immunologists. The key investors are Truffle Capital, Novartis Venture Fund and OTC Asset Management.
The company’s lead program (an immunotherapy targeting TNFa-mediated autoimmune diseases) is currently in a Phase I/II study in subjects with Crohn’s disease. This product candidate is also the focus of a collaboration with the diagnostics company BMD, with the objective of developing theranostic tools for personalized care. Neovacs’ near-term milestones include the expansion of the lead clinical program (TNFa Kinoid) into new indications (H2 2009) and the initiation of clinical trials of a second product - an immunotherapy targeting interferon alpha (IFNa) in lupus disease (Q1 2010). The company’s R&D has also generated a broad patent estate.
Disclaimer: drug development is an inherently uncertain and unpredictable process. Neovacs’ statements regarding the future depend on research that has yet to be performed and on a number of other factors. As a consequence, the company’s future performance and financial results may differ significantly from those currently forecast.
