Iomai and Merck & Co., Inc. Evaluate Use of Iomai Immunostimulant Patch
03 April 2008 - 1:30PM
PR Newswire (US)
- Merck to Conduct Preclinical Proof-of-Principle Studies -
GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 3, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Iomai
Corporation (NASDAQ:IOMI) today announced that it has signed an
agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. to conduct proof-of-principle
preclinical studies evaluating the use of the Iomai needle-free
immunostimulant patch. Merck has first option to negotiate an
exclusive license. These preclinical proof-of-principle studies
will be conducted using an undisclosed Merck vaccine. Iomai
recently announced results of a 500-person Phase 1/2 trial in which
a clinically relevant adjuvant effect was observed when a version
of the immunostimulant patch was administered in combination with
an injected vaccine for pandemic influenza, and data from a prior
European trial demonstrated the ability of the immunostimulant
patch to boost the immune response of the elderly who receive an
injected seasonal influenza vaccine. "This agreement with Merck
allows us to further evaluate the possible applications of our
patch," said Stanley C. Erck, president and chief executive officer
of Iomai. "Our immunostimulant patch has the potential to improve
the immune response to a wide variety of vaccines, allowing for
more effective vaccines, or vaccines that work at a lower dose."
The Iomai approach uses a potent adjuvant, applied to the skin
through a patch that is affixed over the site of the injected
vaccine. Once the patch is applied, the adjuvant passes into the
skin, targeting cells called Langerhans cells. Those specialized
skin cells carry the adjuvant into the lymph nodes, where it works
to boost an individual's immune response to the vaccine. This
proprietary approach is known as transcutaneous immunization (TCI).
Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
awarded Iomai a $128 million contract to fund the company's
development of a dose-sparing patch for use with a pandemic
influenza vaccine, and that contract is currently funding the Phase
1/2 pandemic influenza trial. The patch being used in that program
is similar to the one that will be used in the Merck collaboration,
with the same adjuvant and delivery system. ABOUT IOMAI CORPORATION
Iomai Corporation discovers and develops vaccines and immune system
stimulants, delivered via a novel, needle-free technology called
transcutaneous immunization (TCI). TCI, discovered by researchers
at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, taps into the unique
benefits of a major group of antigen-presenting cells found in the
outer layers of the skin (Langerhans cells) to generate an enhanced
immune response. Iomai is leveraging TCI to enhance the efficacy of
existing vaccines, develop new vaccines that are viable only
through transcutaneous administration and expand the global vaccine
market. Iomai currently has four product candidates in development:
three targeting influenza and pandemic flu and one to prevent
travelers' diarrhea. For more information on Iomai, please visit
http://www.iomai.com/. Some matters discussed in this press release
constitute "forward-looking statements" that involve known and
unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include
statements about the ability of the immunostimulant patch to
improve the immune response to vaccines, including by making them
more effective or by lowering the effective dose, and the
possibility of further collaboration with Merck beyond the initial
preclinical studies described in this release. Applicable risks and
uncertainties include, among others, that future preclinical and
clinical trials may not replicate results seen in previous clinical
trials; that pre-clinical studies described in this press release
may fail to indicate that the immunostimulant patch improves the
immune response or reduces the necessary vaccine dosage by as much
as anticipated; that the timing and effectiveness of the
pre-clinical are dependent on sufficient coordination and
cooperation with Merck and third parties; that potential
collaborators, including Merck, may determine to wait for
additional preclinical and/or clinical data prior to entering into
a collaboration or may be unwilling to collaborate on terms Iomai
deems acceptable; that Iomai may be unable to obtain the regulatory
approvals necessary to conduct additional clinical trials or to
market any product candidates using the Iomai's immunostimulant
patch; that development costs may exceed expectations; that Iomai
may fail to adequately protect its intellectual property or may be
determined to infringe on the intellectual property of others; and
the other risks identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in
Iomai's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2007 and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Iomai
cautions investors and others not to place undue reliance on the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are
encouraged to read the Company's filings for a discussion of these
and other risks and uncertainties which are filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and available at
http://www.sec.gov/. All statements in this press release only
speak as of its date, and Iomai undertakes no obligation to update
or revise the statements. DATASOURCE: Iomai Corporation CONTACT:
Russell P. Wilson, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
and General Counsel of Iomai Corporation, +1-301-556-4478, ; or
Brian Reid of WeissComm Partners, Inc., +1-703-402-3626, Web site:
http://www.iomai.com/
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