Paris, September 23, 2009 -- Neovacs, a biotechnology company developing proprietary immunotherapeutics for autoimmune and chronic diseases, announced today that results achieved with its VEGF Kinoid in a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) will be presented at EVER (European Association for Vision and Eye Research) annual conference.
The EVER conference will be held in Portoroz, Slovenia, from September 30th to October 3rd. The VEGF Kinoid presentation, entitled “Encouraging results of a VEGF Kinoid against experimental choroidal neovascularization” will share the results of work done by a team led by Marc Abitbol M.D. PhD., Director of the Center for Therapeutic Research in Opthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Paris-Descartes University. The study was funded in part by Retina France. The results will be presented by Hatem Zeghidi, M.D., a practicing physician in the Ophthalmology Department of the Max Fourestier Hospital, Nanterre. The presentation is part of the “Trends in ocular immunology and microbiology research” track on the afternoon of October 2nd.
About age-related macular degeneration
AMD is the most common cause of vision loss in the developed world, with approximately 500,000 diagnoses of the more severe, “wet”, form of the disease every year. The inhibition of VEGF, a protein that mediates neo-vasculature, is the standard treatment for this disease. Current therapeutic options require multiple intraocular injections over a two year period.
About Neovacs
The biotechnology company Neovacs is focused on an active immunotherapy technology platform with applications in autoimmune disease 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 certain inflammatory 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 Lupus disease (H2 2009). 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.
