euro adhoc: Intercell AG
other
Intercell AG and Statens Serum Institut join
forces with Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation for novel Tuberculosis Vaccine
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
27.06.2005
Vienna / Copenhagen / Bethesda, June 27, 2005 - Intercell AG and Statens Serum Institut (SSI) announced today that their joint project for the development of a new prophylactic tuberculosis vaccine has gained the support of the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. Aeras, an organization funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, specializes in the development of novel TB vaccines with the aim of controlling the disease in developing countries.
Under the terms of the agreement, Aeras will fund the development of the vaccine and subsequent clinical trials. In return, Aeras will be given a sublicense for the future TB vaccine for a number of developing countries with an urgent medical need and very low living standards. For the rest of the world Intercell and SSI will retain their joint marketing and profit-sharing rights. The product candidate combines Intercell's proprietary synthetic adjuvant IC31TM with SSI's recombinant tuberculosis antigens. The expanded collaboration continues to evaluate further tuberculosis antigens in combination with Intercell's novel adjuvant technology.
Intercells CEO, Alexander von Gabain, commented: "We are delighted that our collaboration with Statens Serum Institut on a novel tuberculosis vaccine has now obtained the support of the renowned Aeras Foundation. The new partner will bring substantial funding as well as first-class scientific and pharmaceutical expertise to this project. Furthermore we also like to thank both the Austrian Ministry for Economy and Labour as well as the Vienna Business Agency for supporting this promising project with R&D grants."
About Tuberculosis Tuberculosis kills two million people each year and the disease is predicted to make a dramatic return to industrialized countries. It is estimated that between 2002 and 2020, approximately one billion people will be newly infected, over 150 million people will get sick, and 36 million will die of TB - if control is not further strengthened. The current vaccine - BCG - is one of the oldest presently in use throughout the world and has a limited efficacy profile.
About Intercell AG Intercell AG is a fast growing biotechnology company with a clear strategy and focus on the design and development of novel vaccines for prophylaxis and treatment of diseases with substantial unaddressed medical need. The Companys unique position is based on the combination of antigens and immunizers (adjuvants) derived from its proprietary technology platforms and its in-house GMP manufacturing facilities. Intercells technology has been endorsed by collaborative agreements with a number of global pharmaceutical companies, including Sanofi Aventis, Merck&Co., Inc., SciGen Ltd. and the Statens Serum Institut. The Company has a broad development pipeline with a vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis about to enter Phase III, a vaccine for Hepatitis C undergoing Phase II trials, and five products focused on infectious diseases in the pre-clinical phase. Intercell is listed on the Vienna stock exchange under the symbol "ICLL". For more information please visit: www.intercell.com
end of announcement euro adhoc 27.06.2005 08:00:00
Further inquiry note:
Intercell AG
Mag. Katharina Wieser
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel. +43 1 20620-303
kwieser@intercell.com
Branche: Biotechnology
ISIN: AT0000612601
WKN:
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG