New patent filed for VAC-3S, an immunotherapy for treating HIV infections

InnaVirVax, a biopharmaceutical company specialized in the research and development of therapeutic and diagnostic innovations focused on immune dysregulation, announced today that a new European patent application has been filed on VAC-3S, a “first-in-class” immunotherapy for the treatment of HIV infections.

This patent application claims the use of new immunogenic compositions that are optimized to induce a strong immune response in humans. It also relates to use of such immune compositions with enhanced properties compared to references. This industrial property consolidation is based on the research undertaken by the Company since its inception, more than 3 years ago. It deals with an essential stake showing InnaVirVax’s ability to create value through innovation and patents.

Joël Crouzet, CEO of InnaVirVax declared: “For more than 3 years, InnaVirVax has had a proactive policy of construction and protection of its intellectual property by intensifying its international patents coverage. After the two patent applications filed last year on our DIAG-3S prognostic test and on an innovating vaccine, this new patent application protects our therapeutic vaccine currently under development. This corresponds to our will to build a strong and long-lasting scientific and medical project portfolio, the key of our future business successes”.

InnaVirVax is developing VAC-3S from a patent family covering Europe, the United States, Canada and China whose property belongs to Inserm and the AP-HP. InnaVirVax has been granted an exclusive worldwide license since May 2009.

This immunotherapy is currently under phase I/IIa clinical development. The clinical trial is being conducted since February 2012 in two major clinical reference centers in Paris: the Pitié-Salpêtrière and Cochin Hospitals. It involves 24 patients infected with HIV-1 whose viral load is controlled under antiretroviral therapy.

The primary endpoint is the safety of this immunotherapy. The immunogenicity of the candidate drug is also being studied, as are its effects on markers of HIV infection (notably the CD4 count, viral load and markers of cellular activation). Patients are being immunized and then followed for one year.

This clinical trial has been awarded a grant of €600,000 from OSEO, the French government-backed agency that supports innovation.

Source: www.innavirvax.fr