HERSHEY, Pa. and ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc., ("ITI") a privately-held biotechnology company with laboratories in Rockville, MD, today announced the presentation of two posters at 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology meeting in Houston, Texas that support the company's proprietary lysosomal associated membrane protein (LAMP) vaccine program.
The first study outlined in poster #464, "LAMP-Based DNA Vaccine for Japanese Red Cedar Allergy," showed that allergic mouse models that received the company's LAMP-based vaccine for Japanese Red Cedar Allergy, ASP4070 (formerly known as JRC-LAMP-Vax), produced higher levels of antibodies to prevent reaction to Japanese Red Cedar. The study also showed that, in the presence of the JRC allergen, there was a lower concentration of IgE, an immunoglobulin responsible for many allergic reactions in ASP4070 (formerly known as JRC-LAMP-Vax), in vaccinated mice as compared to a control group (p<0.05).
The second poster (#542), entitled, "Immunization with ARA h1,2,3-Lamp-Vax Peanut Vaccine Blocked IgE Mediated-Anaphylaxis in a Peanut Allergic Murine Model," also showed positive results using LAMP-based vaccines against peanut allergies in mouse models. Results demonstrated 70 percent lower presence of serum peanut-specific IgE in LAMP-vaccinated mice, compared to control (2,911.3 vs 887.9ng/ml, p<0.05). In addition, LAMP-vaccine-treated mice showed significantly lower symptom scores, higher core body temperatures and lower plasma histamine levels following challenge than control vector-treated mice (p<0.05).
"The presentation of these data represent an important move forward in sharing our LAMP vaccine technology with practitioners. Some of these data have also been among the drivers that caught the attention of our partner, Astellas, as well as the Japanese government, for whom we are currently entering into development to treat allergies to Japanese Red Cedar," said William Hearl, Ph.D., CEO of Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. "Although additional study is needed to confirm the findings, each of these posters represent potential solutions to help real patients who suffer from allergies, both in the US and abroad."
The company will also be exhibiting at the conference at Booth #641. In addition, Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. will be holding focus group meetings with key allergists to inform product and clinical development plans.
About Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc.
Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. (ITI) is a privately held clinical stage biotechnology company developing vaccines based on the LAMP technology platform, which was exclusively licensed from Johns Hopkins University. The LAMP-vax vaccine platform aims to increase the immune response to nucleic acid vaccines and simplify vaccine design and delivery for safer, more cost-effective therapies. ITI's LAMP constructs have been validated in human clinical trials for cancer and have been studied in areas including allergy and infectious disease, while internally ITI is focused on developing allergy therapies. Currently, the company is pursuing three main allergy programs:
- Japanese Red Cedar Vaccine - An innovative potential solution for the over 35 million sufferers of Japanese red cedar pollinosis - Phase I, currently partnered with Astellas Pharma;
- Peanut Allergy Vaccine - A therapeutic vaccine in development, with a goal of mitigating peanut allergy - Beginning Phase I in late 2015/early 2016;
- Multi Allergen Vaccine (A Product Concept) - An allergy vaccine formulation concept that would aim to address the major allergies of concern Worldwide - Under study & development.
For more information about ITI and LAMP Technology, please visit www.immunomix.com.
About AAAAI
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, a membership organization of more than 6,800 allergist / immunologists and related professionals world-wide with advanced training and experience dedicated to allergy, asthma, immune deficiencies & immunologic diseases. See www.aaaai.org for more information.