QUEBEC CITY, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Medicago Inc. (TSX: MDG) a biotechnology company focused on developing highly effective and competitive vaccines based on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles (VLPs), today announced that Ms. Nathalie Landry, Vice President of Product Development, is invited to present at the 7th WHO meeting on evaluation of pandemic influenza prototype vaccines in clinical trials. The conference is being held at the World Health Organization's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from February 18-19, 2011. The presentation, entitled "Advances in the clinical development of plant-made influenza VLP vaccines", will discuss the Company's positive interim results from its phase II pandemic H5N1 influenza vaccine clinical trial.
The purpose of the World Health Organization's meeting is to review pandemic vaccines currently in clinical trials and to make recommendations on research activities that will contribute to the development of effective pandemic vaccines. In attendance at this global gathering are representatives from government regulatory agencies, the leading vaccine companies, pharmaceutical companies and research professionals.
The Company recently reported positive interim results from a Phase II human clinical trial with its pandemic H5N1 Influenza vaccine candidate. The vaccine was found to be safe, well tolerated and also induced a solid immune response. Final results from this study are currently expected in the second quarter of 2011.
About Medicago
Medicago is a clinical-stage biotechnology company, developing effective and competitive vaccines based on proprietary Virus-Like Particles (VLP) and manufacturing technologies. Medicago is developing VLP vaccines to protect against pandemic and seasonal influenza, using a transient expression system which produces recombinant vaccine antigens in non-transgenic plants. This technology has potential to offer advantages of speed and cost over competitive technologies. It could deliver a vaccine for testing in about a month after the identification and reception of the genetic sequence. This production time frame has the potential to allow vaccination of the population before the first wave of a pandemic strikes and to supply large volumes of vaccine antigens to the world market. Additional information about Medicago is available at www.medicago.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations, which involve risks and uncertainties associated with Medicago's business and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", and similar expressions to the extent they relate to Medicago or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but reflect Medicago's current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including the matters discussed under "Risks Factors and Uncertainties" in Medicago's Annual Information Form filed on March 24, 2010 with the regulatory authorities. Medicago assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Medicago Inc.