Generex has reported the publication of pre-clinical studies conducted to identify vaccine peptides, for the potentially pandemic H5N1 avian influenza virus.
The report is the result of a collaboration between scientists at Antigen Express, Generex’s wholly-owned immunotherapeutics subsidiary, and John Treanor, Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester.
The study entitled: “Identification of HLA class II H5N1 hemagglutinin epitopes following subvirion influenza A (H5N1) vaccination”, has been published in the journal – Vaccine.
The Antigen Express study utilizes its proprietary Ii-Key technology as well as a broad screening technique, to identify fragments of the H5N1 avian influenza virus with the potential to act as vaccine peptides.
Reportedly, T-cells from the peripheral blood of volunteers who received the traditional egg-based H5N1 vaccine and developed a documented immune response, were used for these studies.
The results of these studies are helpful in guiding and optimizing synthetic peptide vaccines for pandemic or potentially pandemic influenza viruses, a platform being pioneered by Antigen Express.
Reportedly, over 120 volunteers have been immunized with Antigen Express’s peptides, as part of a phase I trial to generate a response against the H5N1 avian influenza. The vaccine peptides appear to be safe and well tolerated, claims the company.
In addition to the H5N1 trial, immunotherapeutic peptides designed by the same Antigen Express technology, are being tested in a phase II efficacy trial in breast cancer patients and a phase I trial in patients with breast or ovarian cancer. A phase I trial of an Antigen Express vaccine has been completed recently in patients with prostate cancer.