BioChem Pharma's vaccines subsidiary signs agreement with Biovector Therapeutics to develop novel nasally delivered vaccines.LAVAL, Quebec--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 1997--BioChem Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :BCHXF, Montreal Exchange Montreal Exchange A Canadian derivatives exchange that facilitates the trading of stock options, interest rate futures and options, as well as index options and futures. Located in Montreal, Quebec, it is the country's main financial derivative market, while the Winnipeg , Toronto Stock Exchange Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) Canada's largest stock exchange, trading approximately 1,200 company stocks and 33 options. :BCH BCH Beach BCH Banco Central de Honduras BCH Boot Console Handler BCH Boulder Community Hospital (Boulder, CO, USA) BCH Broadcast Channel BCH Belfast City Hospital BCH Banco Central-Hispano ) announced today that its vaccines subsidiary, IAF (Internet Application Framework) A suite of software development technologies from Ross Systems, Inc., Atlanta, GA (www.rossinc.com) that is the backbone of its iRenaissance Suite. Meta-data driven, IAF comprises a . BioVac Inc., has concluded a strategic agreement with Biovector Therapeutics SA, a privately owned French company specializing in drug and vaccine delivery technologies. The alliance is aimed at developing novel human vaccines for nasal administration thus combining BioVac's expertise in vaccines with Biovector's innovative supra molecular biovector technology currently in development. Under this agreement, IAF BioVac and Biovector will develop nasal vaccines for prophylactic use in at least three areas: influenza, meningococcal meningitis meningococcal meningitis n. An acute infectious disease affecting children and young adults characterized by inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord, headache, vomiting, convulsions, stiff neck, light sensitivity, and purpuric and pneumococcal pneumococcal /pneu·mo·coc·cal/ (-kok´al) pertaining to or caused by pneumococci. infections. The two companies will give priority to the development of their first collaborative nasally delivered vaccine based on BioVac's currently manufactured "classical" inactivated inactivated rendered inactive; the activity is destroyed. inactivated viruses treated so that they are no longer able to produce evidence of growth or damaging effect on tissue. split influenza vaccine, Fluviral(R)S/F S/F Semper Fidelis S/F Storefront S/F Shortfall S/F Sport Fish (type of boat) S/F Sport Fisherman (boat type) S/F Store & Forward S/F Sound Flash . An IND application for this novel, nasally delivered flu vaccine is planned to be filed by IAF BioVac next year. This will bring IAF BioVac one step closer to using this technology with its cell-cultured flu vaccine candidate which recently successfully completed Phase I testing. "The development of a flu vaccine for nasal administration would represent a significant improvement over the currently-available injectable vaccine," said Dr. Claude Vezeau, President of IAF BioVac. "There is a need for a non-invasive and easy-to-use method of vaccination." "The constraints associated with injectable influenza vaccines generally limit their use to people most at risk, such as the elderly. This new nasal vaccine could provide broader access to the flu vaccine, particularly for children who are now recognized as an important group for the transmission of influenza, as well as for adults of any age," Dr. Vezeau explained. In exchange for the right to use Biovector's vaccine delivery technology and rights to commercialize the vaccines incorporating this technology, IAF BioVac has taken a minority equity interest in Biovector and will assure product development and registration costs for the vaccines involved, and pay Biovector a royalty on sales. The nasal vaccines will be manufactured by IAF BioVac, with Biovector supplying the supra molecular biovectors. Biovector's delivery technology is based on the use of supra molecular biovectors to deliver the vaccine into the human body. The main properties of biovectors are that they protect the antigen from rapid degradation, enhance its activity, and adhere to mucous membranes, including nasal surfaces. Structurally, a biovector consists of a polysaccharide polysaccharide: see carbohydrate. polysaccharide Any of a large class of long-chain sugars composed of monosaccharides. Because the chains may be unbranched or branched and the monosaccharides may be of one, two, or occasionally more kinds, core that can be charged positively or negatively and that is surrounded by a phospholipid phospholipid (fŏs'fōlĭp`ĭd), lipid that in its simplest form is composed of glycerol bonded to two fatty acids and a phosphate group. layer. "We are very pleased with IAF BioVac's decision to use our delivery technology for the development of novel nasal vaccines based on BioVac antigens," said Dr. Imile Loria, President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Biovector Therapeutics. "We are confident that the combination of our respective technologies will set a new standard in the industry for modern vaccines." Biovector Therapeutics SA is a private company based in Toulouse, France. It develops and produces drug and vaccine delivery systems that improve the efficacy and patient acceptance of vaccines and therapeutic agents. IAF BioVac manufactures and markets classical vaccines, including vaccines to prevent influenza, diphtheria diphtheria (dĭfthēr`ēə), acute contagious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Klebs-Loffler bacillus) bacteria that have been infected by a bacteriophage. It begins as a soreness of the throat with fever. , tetanus and tuberculosis. The Company is also a world- class leader in the development of recombinant-protein and cell-culture-based vaccines. Its cell-culture-based influenza vaccine has just successfully completed Phase I clinical trials and its recombinant meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccine candidates are in preclinical development. IAF BioVac is the vaccine subsidiary of BioChem Pharma, an international biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative products for the prevention, detection, and treatment of human diseases. The Company lists its common shares on the Montreal and Toronto stock exchanges (BCH) and the NASDAQ National Market (BCHXF). BioChem Pharma news releases and other company information can be found on the World Wide Web at: http://www.biochem- pharma.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements which reflect the company's current expectation regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors including the success of the company's research strategy, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process as well as the discovery and development of new vaccines and drugs and what the development of the knowledge of the human body will tell us. Readers should consult the company's ongoing quarterly filings, annual reports and 20-F filings for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements. CONTACT: BioChem Pharma Inc., Laval Christine Lennon, (514) 978-7771 E-mail: corpcom@biochem-pharma.com |
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