CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Visterra, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company that uses its proprietary technology platform to identify unique disease targets and design novel therapeutics for infectious diseases, today announced that new preclinical data for VIS410 will be presented at the 4th International Society for Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Diseases Antiviral Group (isirv-Antiviral Group) Conference at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, on June 2 - 4, 2015.
“VIS410 Monoclonal Antibody Demonstrates Potent Efficacy Against Neuraminidase Inhibitors-Susceptible and -Resistant Influenza A (H7N9) Viruses and Protects Mice from Development of ARDS.”
The data presented at the isirv-Antiviral Group conference will detail the results of a preclinical study of VIS410, Visterra’s novel monoclonal antibody, against H7N9, a deadly influenza A strain. Visterra has conducted previous preclinical studies and a Phase 1 clinical trial of VIS410, which support its clinical development as a single administration treatment for seasonal and pandemic influenza. Most recently, the company initiated a placebo-controlled Phase 2 challenge trial of VIS410 in healthy subjects that are administered an influenza virus in advance of receiving either VIS410 or placebo. This clinical trial is currently ongoing.
“We are pleased to participate in this important conference where encouraging preclinical data on VIS410 treatment in an H7N9 animal model will be presented by our scientific collaborators. H7N9 is a new and particularly deadly strain of avian influenza and its pandemic potential is of major concern,” said José Trevejo, MD, PhD, Vice President of Development of Visterra. “We are pleased that VIS410, which has been engineered to be broadly neutralizing, was highly effective in this animal model. In addition, we are continuing to advance VIS410 in the clinic and have initiated our Phase 2 challenge trial of VIS410. We anticipate data from this Phase 2 trial to be available in the second half of this year and that the results will guide the next steps for later stage clinical development of VIS410.”
The presentations of data related to VIS410 at the isirv-Antiviral Group conference are as follows:
Tatiana Baranovich, MD, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, will participate in a panel discussion and will present:
- “VIS410 Monoclonal Antibody Demonstrates Potent Efficacy Against Neuraminidase Inhibitors-Susceptible and -Resistant Influenza A (H7N9) Viruses and Protects Mice from Development of ARDS.”
- Session 6, Monoclonal Antibodies as Therapeutics, Wednesday, June 3, 2:35 – 3:40 p.m.
José M. Trevejo, MD, PhD, Visterra’s Vice President of Development will co-chair a panel discussion and will present:
- “VIS410, a Broadly Neutralizing Antibody to Influenza A: Characterization and Potential for ADE.”
- Session 7, Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE) of Disease: Implications for Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibody Development, Wednesday, June 3, 4:10 – 6:00 p.m.
About Influenza
Influenza virus infection is one of the most common infectious diseases and can lead to severe illness and death. Influenza epidemics occur seasonally in most countries, resulting in about three to five million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths worldwide. Although the usual strains of influenza that circulate annually are of a significant public health concern, far more lethal influenza strains have emerged periodically, leading in some cases to pandemics. Recently, both H5N1 and H7N9 isolates have emerged in humans, causing severe disease with high mortality, although to this point only limited human-to-human transmission has been observed. Nonetheless, predicted mutations in both H5 and H7 strains have the potential to enhance human-to-human transmission and create pandemic potential. In addition, data that H7N9 strains are more readily transmitted from poultry to humans compared to other avian influenza viruses, and documentation of resistance of H7N9 to anti-viral drugs, has fueled increased concern1,2.
About VIS410
VIS410 is a broad spectrum human monoclonal antibody designed and engineered to neutralize all strains of influenza A, including mutated strains and strains that have recently emerged. VIS410 is a direct acting anti-viral that inhibits hemagglutinin-mediated cell membrane fusion, thereby preventing viral replication. Visterra is developing VIS410 as a single administration treatment for hospitalized patients with influenza A infection, including seasonal and potential pandemic strains.
About Visterra
Visterra is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that uses its proprietary Hierotope™ Platform to identify unique disease targets and design and engineer effective therapeutics. The company’s technology is powered by computational tools and techniques, the core of which is Atomic Interaction Network (AIN) analysis, which uniquely identifies an area, or epitope, on the target site that is fundamental to its structure and function. This ideal epitope, or hierotope, becomes the target against which the company designs a novel therapeutic to effectively and durably combat the disease. The company is currently focused on therapeutics for infectious diseases, and its lead product candidate, VIS410, is a broad spectrum human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of both seasonal and pandemic influenza. The company’s second product candidate, VIS513, is a human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of dengue fever that has been shown to broadly neutralize all four dengue virus serotypes. Visterra was founded based on scientific work developed in the laboratory of Dr. Ram Sasisekharan and licensed from MIT. For more information, please visit www.visterrainc.com.
1 Mok et al. (2013) mBio 4(4):e00362-13.
2 Hu et al. (2013) Lancet. 381:2273-2279
Contacts
Media contact:
The Yates Network
Kathryn Morris, 845-635-9828
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