Isconova expands Matrix M collaboration with Genocea to treat infectious diseases

Isconova AB, a leading international vaccine adjuvant company and Genocea Biosciences, Inc., a vaccine discovery and development company pioneering a new class of T cell‐based vaccines, today announced the expansion of their collaboration granting Genocea the right to use Isconova's Matrix M™ in vaccines targeting two additional diseases.

The new disease targets included in the global collaboration are malaria and gonorrhoea. Genocea currently has the right to use Matrix M™ in vaccines targeting six infectious diseases including programs in its pipeline for herpes simplex virus type-2, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The lead program of the collaboration is a therapeutic vaccine for herpes simplex virus type-2. HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted disease that is estimated to infect more than 500 million people worldwide. Genocea expects to initiate human trials with this program in 2012.

Chip Clark, CEO of Genocea commented;

"A safe and effective adjuvant that elicits strong B and T cell immune response is essential to our aim to prevent or treat the world's most intractable infectious diseases. For that reason we are delighted to expand our collaboration with Isconova for Matrix M."

Lena Söderström, CEO of Isconova, commented;

"We are pleased that the very promising vaccine discovery and development company Genocea has selected Isconova's Matrix M™ for use in two additional diseases, thus confirming the strengths of our products. All the targeted diseases of the collaboration have high unmet medical needs and therefore significant commercial potential."