SAN DIEGO, CA, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Nventa Biopharmaceuticals Corporation today presented additional preclinical data on new HspE7 at the 24th International Papillomavirus conference, the largest annual gathering of scientists, clinicians and companies working in the field of human papillomavirus (HPV), taking place this week in Beijing, China. HspE7 is being developed by Nventa as a therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of diseases caused by HPV. The paper titled, “Th1 CD4 Helper T Cell Immune Responses Induced by the Combination of HspE7 and the TLR-3 Agonist Poly ICLC”, was presented by Peter Emtage, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Development at Nventa.
Results: Data from the study not only confirmed that the addition of the TLR3 agonist Poly IC potently alters the magnitude of the antigen-specific CD8 effector arm, but also that adding this moiety acts to push the immune response into a more potent Th1-biased response. This was demonstrated by a significant reduction of Interleukin-5 (IL-5) levels seen following immunization with HspE7 co-administered with Poly IC, compared to those seen with HspE7 alone. Importantly, the IL-5 decrease was accompanied by a significant increase in the level of Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the Poly IC-containing HspE7 formulations. IFN-gamma is a hallmark cytokine associated with the generation of Th1-biased immune responses. In addition to the shift from IL-5 to IFN-gamma, there was also a significant increase in the generation of antigen-specific IL-2-secreting CD4 helper T cells. In the study, IgG1, IgG2b and IgG2c antibody responses were dramatically increased as well by the incorporation of Poly IC to the immunization.
Dr. Peter Emtage commented on the data: “Taken together, the antigen-specific increase in CD8 responses, CD4 helper T cell-derived cytokines, and the antigen-specific increase in IgG2b and IgG2c antibody isotypes, all clearly demonstrate a potentiated Th1 immune response to the combination of HspE7 and Poly IC. With our HPV fusion candidate in Phase 1 clinical development using a Poly IC-containing adjuvant, we believe these data suggest the potential for greater efficacy of HspE7, given that increased Th1 immune responses typically translate to more balanced and significantly more potent antiviral and/or anti-tumor activity.”
Background: The development of the appropriate immune response by a host to an invading pathogen is critical for the control and elimination of the pathogen. All therapeutic vaccines attempt to recapitulate an anti-pathogen response by utilizing antigenic fragments from the infectious agent to educate the immune system. This education results in the targeting of the pathogen by the effector arms of the host’s immune system. Unfortunately, most often in therapeutic vaccine development, the magnitude of the immune response is less than desired to effect significant change at the site of infection, be it chronic or acute. To develop a more robust vaccine strategy, the field has turned to antigen delivery approaches (e.g. viral and DNA) to “boost” the initial immune response to levels more appropriate for therapy. An alternative approach is the use of biological response modifiers or adjuvants. With the identification of agonists to the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways, it has become possible to not only enhance the magnitude of the immune response, but also to induce the type of response that favors the mechanism of action that is needed to clear the infection.
Nventa has previously shown that HspE7, a proprietary therapeutic vaccine comprised of a heat shock protein (Mycobaterium bovis BCG Hsp65) linked to the E7 protein of HPV type 16, when combined with the TLR3 agonist Poly IC, is capable of inducing potent E7-specific CD8 T cell responses (cellular responses) and regressing established E7-expressing tumors in mice. In this new study presented today, the Company investigated whether HspE7 co-injected with Poly IC is able to induce E7-specific CD4 helper T cell responses (humoral responses).
About HspE7, Lead Product Candidate:
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HspE7 is a novel therapeutic vaccine candidate for the treatment of diseases caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world. HspE7 is derived from Nventa’s proprietary CoVal(TM) fusion platform, which uses recombinant DNA technology to covalently fuse stress proteins to target antigens, thereby stimulating cellular immune system responses. Heat shock proteins (Hsps), also known as stress proteins, are naturally present in the human body and play important roles in the immune system, including transporting substances within cells and activating cells of the immune system.
About Nventa Corporation:
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Nventa is developing innovative therapeutics for the treatment of viral infections and cancer, with a focus on diseases caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The corporation is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NVN. For more information about Nventa, please visit www.nventacorp.com.
This press release contains statements which may constitute forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation or forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements or information may include financial and other projections as well as statements regarding the Company’s future plans, objectives, performance, revenues, growth, profits, operating expenses or the Company’s underlying assumptions. The words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “likely”, “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend”, “plan”, “forecast”, “project”, “estimate” and “believe” or other similar words and phrases may identify forward-looking statements or information. Persons reading this press release are cautioned that such statements or information are only predictions, and that the Company’s actual future results or performance may be materially different.
Forward-looking statements or information in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements or information concerning our belief that the data produced in the study suggest the potential for greater efficacy of HspE7.
Such forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, events or developments to be materially different from results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such factors include, among others, the possibility that the data produced in the study do not suggest the potential for greater efficacy of HspE7, and other factors as described in detail in our filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com.
Assumptions underlying our expectations regarding forward-looking statements or information contained in this press release include, among others, that data produced in the study were properly interpreted and that such data do suggest the potential for greater efficacy of HspE7.
In the event that any of these assumptions prove to be incorrect, or in the event that we are impacted by any of the risks identified above, we may not be able to continue in our business as planned.
For a complete discussion of the assumptions, risks and uncertainties related to our business, you are encouraged to review our filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including our 2006 Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. Historical filings relating to the Company prior to the completion of the Company’s March 23, 2006 corporate reorganization, including Old Stressgen’s 2005 Annual Information Form dated March 16, 2006 may be reviewed on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com under the SEDAR profile GVIC Publications Ltd.
All forward-looking statements and information made herein are based on our current expectations as of the date hereof and we disclaim any intention or obligation to revise or update such forward-looking statements and information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.
CONTACT: Donna Slade, Director, Investor Relations, 9381 Judicial Drive, Suite 180, San Diego, CA, USA, 92121, Dir: (858) 202-4945, dslade@nventacorp.com
CONTACT: Donna Slade, Director, Investor Relations, 9381 Judicial Drive,
Suite 180, San Diego, CA, USA, 92121, Dir: (858) 202-4945,
dslade@nventacorp.com
