CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA I May 2, 2017 I VBI Vaccines Inc. (Nasdaq: VBIV) (TSX: VBV) (“VBI”) today provided an update on its cytomegalovirus (“CMV”) Phase I clinical study, which is assessing the safety and tolerability of VBI’s vaccine candidate to prevent congenital CMV infection. Congenital CMV infection is a leading cause of birth defects, affecting more live births than Down syndrome or fetal alcohol syndrome, making it a key public health priority.

Upon review of all safety data up to one month after second immunizations in VBI’s prophylactic CMV Phase I clinical study, the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (“DSMB”) unanimously recommended the continuation of the study without modification. No safety signals have been detected, suggesting VBI’s CMV vaccine candidate is safe and well-tolerated.

Additionally, all participants in the study have now successfully received the third and final immunization in the series. Further vaccine immunogenicity and safety follow-up are ongoing.

An interim safety and immunogenicity report, based on blood samples collected from participants one month post-second vaccination, is expected mid-year 2017.

About the Phase I Clinical Study Design

The Phase I study is designed to assess the safety and tolerability of VBI’s CMV vaccine candidate in approximately 125 healthy CMV-negative adults. The study will also determine the vaccine immunogenicity by measuring levels of vaccine-induced CMV neutralizing antibodies, which may prevent CMV infection.

Additional information, including a detailed description of the study design, eligibility criteria, and investigator sites, is available at ClinicalTrials.gov using identifier NCT02826798.

About the Data and Safety Monitoring Board

The DSMB was formed with key opinion leaders, a statistician, and experts in safety in clinical studies of this nature. The board is an arms-length committee that monitors the clinical study to assess safety data at various time points during the clinical study, and to recommend to VBI whether to continue, modify, or stop the study.

About CMV

CMV can cause serious disease in newborns when a mother is infected during pregnancy. Each year, approximately 5,000 U.S. infants will develop permanent problems due to CMV, which can include deafness, blindness, and mental retardation. CMV affects more live births than Down syndrome or fetal alcohol syndrome, making it a key public health priority and a strong candidate for recommended universal vaccination and reimbursement.

About VBI Vaccines

VBI Vaccines Inc. (“VBI”) is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a next generation of vaccines to address unmet needs in infectious disease and immuno-oncology. VBI’s first marketed product is Sci-B-Vac™, a hepatitis B (“HBV”) vaccine that mimics all three viral surface antigens of the hepatitis B virus; Sci-B-Vac is approved for use in Israel and 14 other countries. VBI’s eVLP Platform technology allows for the development of enveloped (“e”) virus-like particle (“VLP”) vaccines that closely mimic the target virus to elicit a potent immune response. VBI is advancing a pipeline of eVLP vaccines, with lead programs in cytomegalovirus (“CMV”) and glioblastoma multiforme (“GBM”). VBI is also advancing its LPV™ Thermostability Platform, a proprietary formulation and process that allows vaccines and biologics to preserve stability, potency, and safety. VBI is headquartered in Cambridge, MA with research operations in Ottawa, Canada and research and manufacturing facilities in Rehovot, Israel.

SOURCE: VBI Vaccines