DNA vaccine developer Coridon in U.S. collaboration

DNA vaccine development company Coridon Pty Ltd. today announced that it has entered into a research collaboration agreement with The Ohio State University to progress its Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) project.

Coridon is developing DNA vaccines for the prevention and treatment of a range of infectious diseases and cancers in humans, utilising the company’s patented technology. Coridon’s DNA vaccine technologies differ from conventional vaccines in that they offer both preventative and therapeutic value.
Coridon was founded by Professor Ian Frazer to commercialise his work in developing next generation DNA vaccines. Professor Frazer’s work at Coridon follows the success of his cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil. Major shareholder in Coridon, Allied Healthcare Group (ASX: AHZ) is working with Professor Frazer to assist in the commercialisation of his work.

The company has recently started development of a preventative and therapeutic vaccine for EBV. EBV is the cause of infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever) in young adults and is linked with Burkitt’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas and lymphoproliferative diseases in the immune suppressed.

Coridon’s EBV vaccine has been designed to prevent lymphomas. Having successfully completed immunogenicity studies, Coridon will now collaborate with Michael A. Caligiuri, MD, Director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and CEO of The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute and Robert Baiocchi, MD, PhD, principal investigator and member of the Viral Oncology Program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center to test the EBV vaccine for prevention of lymphoproliferative disease in a pre-clinical model they have established.
Neil Finlayson, Coridon CEO said: “This collaboration is based on the use of our unique patented optimisation technology. This technology is being applied to the development of DNA vaccines for a range of infectious diseases and cancer. We are very fortunate to be able to work with global leaders on this project and will look at expanding our collaboration as appropriate.”

Lee Rodne, MD of Allied Healthcare Group said: “The work that Coridon and Ian Frazer are currently doing clearly has the potential to be globally significant. DNA vaccines offer real hope to combat some of the most common diseases. The EBV project is part of developing Coridon’s technology to treat a wide range of cancers and disease.”

Coridon’s technology has been developed to stimulate not only a strong antibody response but also a robust cellular immune response and is particularly suited to the development of therapeutic vaccines.

Coridon is also working with the University of Washington on the Company’s Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) vaccine. Coridon plans to start Phase I human trials of the vaccine in 2012.

Source: www.coridon.com