OSLO, Norway, Aug. 20, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- The A-Viral (OSE:AVIR) research team presented new findings on the A-Viral Global meeting in Amsterdam last week. A-Viral's drug (AV-1101) is more efficient than other known drugs. The drug has, at the same time, no negative effects on the blood cells. A leading broker from Sweden assesses the technology of A-Viral as being more promising than the technology of TRIPEP. TRIPEP is a Swedish biotechnology public company with a capitalized value of 2 billion SEK when the company went public.
Einar Stokke, the CEO of A-Viral emphasizes: "This is good news for us. The professional community has high expectations to our drug AV-1101. The assessment from experts in Sweden proves that the professional community has high expectations. Most important for A-Viral is, however, that experts from the medical society strongly believe in AV-1101, because the drug is extremely efficient and at the same time is simple in use with no known side effects. This is good news for patients with AIDS in places where AV-1101 is most needed, namely in the developing countries. I am very moved when people with AIDS ask us for AV-1101 and I hope that our collaboration with health authorities will bring the drug out to the AIDS community in a larger scale. 40 patients with AIDS at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila are now treated with AV-1101."
Appendix:
This is A-Viral
A-Viral AS is a Norwegian research based biotech company. A-Viral develops a pipeline of effective therapeutic drugs. A-Viral has active research programs within HIV-AIDS as well autoimmune diseases. The company has research relationships with high level Scandinavian and Dutch research institutes pursuing studies of novel antiviral compounds. This research activity has led to the development of the first clinical candidate, AV-1101, that is currently undergoing Phase 2 clinical trials designed to study the effect of viral load reduction in HIV/AIDS patients. A-Viral intends to develop a portfolio of novel therapeutic products based on its research programs in the areas of Virology and Autoimmune diseases. AV-1101 has the potential to be an important alternative for countries with high prevalence of AIDS.
The main drug, AV-1101 is a new generation of drug for therapeutic treatment of HIV/AIDS. AV-1101 and is extremely efficient with few side effects and easy to use. It might be sufficient with one 200 mg capsule each week. A-Viral has patent applications in more than 110 countries. The patent covers a number of viral diseases and a number of molecules. A-Viral has successfully completed phase 1 trials in the Philippines and is now performing phase 2 studies. A-Viral follows international standards for drug development and testing.
A-Viral is now establishing a new biotechnology company in Amsterdam. This company is established together with CLB. CLB is a leading international research organization with 800 employees. CLB owns 10% of the shares in the new company. The new company will focus on autoimmune diseases and is based on new discoveries at CLB.
40 patients are now treated with AV-1101. A-Viral plans to sell a global license to a major pharmaceutical company after completion of this treatment (phase 2 treatment). The clinical trial is a collaboration between A-Viral, the University Hospital in Manila (San Lazaro Hospital) and St. Lukes Medical Center. San Lazaro Hospital is the center for treatment and research on HIV/AIDS in the Philippines.
A-Viral Milestones
1996: A-Viral AS Norway founded
1997: Start up of Business and Research at the Norwegian Institute
of Public Health
1998: New organization and new funding of $1,600,000. Start
preparation of clinical trials in the Philippines. Einar
Stokke new CEO of A-Viral.
1999: The A-Viral Global Advisory Board was founded. Discovery of
new molecule with new mechanism and more efficient mechanism
to fight HIV/AIDS. Global Patent Application filed for new
molecule. The new drug named AV-1101. A number of animal
studies performed at Scantox, Denmark.
2000: Dr Leif Wille appointed as new Medical Director. New funding
$1,750,000. Frank Miedema, professor immunology at the
University of Amsterdam member of the A-Viral Scientific
Board. Clinical studies phase 1 successfully completed at San
Lazaro Hospital in Manila. AV-1101 seems to have remarkable
low side effects.
2001: Gert Munthe new chairman of the board. Clinical Trials Phase 2
started at San Lazaro Hospital. A new product line for
autoimmune diseases started. Establish A-Viral Netherlands in
Collaboration with CLB Netherlands. Colin Morris new Technical
Director.
Board: Gert Munthe (Chairman), Petter Faye-Lund, Eivind Urbye, Tarjei
Stensaasen
CEO: Einar Stokke