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Staphylococcus aureus vaccine development on track - safe and immunogenic in Phase I clinical trials |
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18 May 2007 |
Intercell AG (VSE, “ICLL”) has been informed by its strategic partner Merck & Co., Inc. on the results of a Phase I study involving in total over 120 adult healthy volunteers comparing safety and immunogenicity of different doses of the Staphylococcus aureus vaccine.
VIENNA, Austria | May 18, 2007 | Intercell AG (VSE, “ICLL”) has been informed by its strategic partner Merck & Co., Inc. on the results of a Phase I study involving in total over 120 adult healthy volunteers comparing safety and immunogenicity of different doses of the Staphylococcus aureus vaccine.
The Staphylococcus aureus vaccine is based on a conserved protein antigen discovered by Intercell’s Antigen Identification Program (AIP(R)) and was licensed to Merck & Co., Inc. on an exclusive world wide basis in 2003.
The data show that the vaccine is safe and generally well tolerated. Immune responses were observed within several weeks following vaccination and these immune responses persisted throughout the course of the study.
“We are very pleased that the vaccine candidate, for which the antigen was identified by our proprietary AIP(R) technology, delivered promising clinical data, and look forward to its further clinical development ”, states Gerd Zettlmeissl, CEO of Intercell. “These data underline the high potential of our AIP(R) technology for the identification of other bacterial vaccine product candidates in-house or in collaboration with leading vaccine companies”.
About Staphylococcus aureus and nosocomial infections
Hospital-acquired infections are one of the major causes of death and serious illness worldwide, resulting in an annual burden of more than USD 20 billion in the developed world. In the United States alone, about two million patients become infected annually while receiving health care in hospitals. The incidence of nosocomial infections is steadily increasing due to medical interventions and most notably due to the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria circulating in hospitals. Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent cause of hospital acquired infections. In addition to bloodstream infections with a mortality rate of up to 35%, infections of bone, heart and other inner organs are leading to serious health complications, death and economic burden. Today, approximately 50% of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated in hospitals worldwide are resistant to multiple antibiotics, rendering staphylococcal disease management increasingly difficult and challenging.
SOURCE: Intercell AG |
