Tetragenetics' G-SOMETM-Formulated Influenza Vaccine Provides Strong Protection Against H5N1 in Preclinical Efficacy Study
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. January 5th, 2012. Tetragenetics Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of recombinant vaccines, today reported preclinical study results showing that an investigational nanoparticle-based influenza vaccine protects against a highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain. The study was conducted by scientists at the Institute for Antiviral Research of Utah State University in Logan, Utah and Tetragenetics under a contract sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Tetragenetics scientists designed and produced a recombinant nanoparticle vaccine against a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype, namely the H5N1 (A/Vietnam/1203/2004) strain. At lethal doses of influenza, 90% in the treatment group that were immunized with the company's vaccine survived the lethal challenge. The H5N1 vaccine candidate was comprised of the viral hemagglutinin linked to a scaffold protein from Tetrahymena thermophila that promotes assembly into remarkably homogenous nanoparticles in the 40-60nm size range (G-SOMETM particles).
"These results clearly demonstrate the use of Tetrahymena as a highly efficient and versatile expression system for the production of nanoscale particle-based vaccines against infectious disease agents. Because assembly of high-purity G-SOMETMparticles does not depend on viral capsid or envelope proteins per se, this novel technology is particularly well suited to the production of multivalent vaccines targeting broad classes of pathogens," stated Dr.Ted Clark, CSO and founder of Tetragenetics Inc.
"The G-SOMETM vaccine particle breakthrough offers the ability to produce novel vaccines quickly and against virtually any pathogen. Our plan is to rapidly advance several highly differentiated vaccine programs into human clinical trials with pharmaceutical and vaccine company partners," stated Dr. Marco Cacciuttolo, President and CEO of Tetragenetics Inc.
About Tetragenetics Inc.
Tetragenetics is creating the next generation of vaccines. The company's proprietary technologies (TetraExpressTM, PRiSMTM, and G-SOMETM), are based uponTetrahymena thermophila, a sophisticated microorganism that enables the development, manufacture, and delivery of soluble proteins as well as new and improved vaccines to address long-standing and emerging threats to human and animal health. For more information, please visit: HYPERLINK "http://www.tetragenetics.com" www.tetragenetics.com