FIT Biotech Oy
Company release December 16, 2016 at 9:00 am EET
FIT Biotech Ltd partners with InnaVirVax for HIV Immunotherapy Clinical Development and Commercialization
FIT Biotech and InnaVirVax today announced a collaboration in HIV-treatment combining their proprietary immunotherapeutic HIV-vaccines having a different mode of action with a potentially synergistic effect in functional HIV-cure. Functional HIV-cure is defined as a sustained remission of HIV-infection without the need for continuous treatment with chemical drugs, and no disease progression.
FIT Biotech and InnaVirVax plan to start a phase II trial in 2017 to evaluate the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and clinical efficacy of FIT Biotech's DNA-based HIV-vaccine in combination with InnaVirVax's immunoprotective vaccine. InnaVirVax will conduct and fund the clinical study in return for co-ownership of the immunotherapy. Upon successful completion of the study, the companies plan to jointly seek additional third party support and resources to further develop and commercialize the combination of the two products.
Dr. James Kuo, CEO of FIT Biotech, said, "FIT Biotech is excited to enter into collaboration with InnaVirVax that combines two different therapeutic approaches to stimulate the immune system against HIV. Combinations of small molecule pharmaceuticals have an excellent track record in treating HIV and we are hopeful that combining different immunotherapeutics will also benefit from this approach without the drug related burden."
Dr. Joël Crouzet, InnaVirVax's CEO, stated, " The key opinion leaders have the vision that functional cure, a major medical need for people living with HIV and on combined anti-retroviral therapy, will be addressed by combining therapeutic approaches. This agreement between FIT and InnaVirVax is definitely in this mindset and we are excited to collaborate with FIT Biotech on a functional cure goal."
FIT BIOTECH OY
Board of Directors
For further information:
Chairman of the Board of Directors Juha Vapaavuori
E-mail: juha.vapaavuori@fitbiotech.com
Tel: +358 50 372 0824
James Kuo
CEO
Tel: +358 44 0331307, USA: +1 858 220 5703
E-mail: james.kuo@fitbiotech.com
Certified Advisor: Aalto Capital Partners Oy, tel. +358 40 587 7000
About FIT Biotech
FIT Biotech Oy is a biotechnology company established in 1995. The company develops and licenses its patented GTU® (Gene Transport Unit) vector technology for new-generation medical treatments. GTU® is a gene transport technology that meets an important medical challenge in the usability of gene therapy and DNA vaccines.
FIT Biotech applies GTU® technology in its drug development programmes. Application areas include cancer (gene therapy) and infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis, as well as animal vaccines.
FIT Biotech shares are listed on the First North Finland marketplace maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki Oy.
About InnaVirVax:
Located at the Genopole® of Evry, a Paris Biopark, InnaVirVax is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in research and development of therapeutics for HIV infection in which the company has developed a portfolio of innovative programs. Incorporated in 2008, the Company has since received support from the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, Bpifrance (the French innovation agency), the French National Research Agency, the 'Centre Francilien de l'Innovation' and CapDecisif and G1J Ile-de-France, Pradeyrol Development, FaDiese and the FRCI as investors. (www.innavirvax.fr)
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Nasdaq Helsinki
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