Mymetics’ Phase I Study on HIV Vaccine MYM-V101 - Drug Discovery and Development

Mymetics Corporation reports its HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1) vaccine proved to be safe, well-tolerated, and demonstrated a high level of immunogenicity in a Phase I trial of 24 healthy women.

“Until the completion of this Phase I trial, the capacity of our HIV-1 vaccine to induce mucosal antibodies in the genital and rectal tracts of women was unknown. Preclinical studies in non-human primates generated extremely promising data demonstrating 100% protection against multiple intra-vaginal challenges with a live virus,” says Jacques-François Martin, chief executive officer of Mymetics.

All 24 of the vaccinated women rapidly developed lipopeptide P1-specific serum antibodies, confirming the high efficacy of the influenza virosomes as carriers/adjuvants for inducing a Th2 (T helper type 2) response.

All vaccinated subjects also developed lipopeptide P1-specific antibodies in vaginal and rectal secretions. The functional antiviral activity of these mucosal antibodies was demonstrated by the inhibition of HIV-1 transcytosis, as reported by Morgane Bomsel, MD, Inserm/Cochin Institute.

Mymetics co-developed the current HIV-1 vaccine with its industrial partner Pevion Biotech, using proprietary virosome technology.

With its vaccine, Mymetics aims to provide a first line of defense through mucosal protection as well as a second line of defense against infection through the generation of blood antibodies. This Phase I study confirms Mymetics’ previous pre-clinical study conducted on non-human primates, which was published in the journal Immunity.

A larger study in non-human primates is currently planned.

Release Date: May 26, 2011
Source: Mymetics Corporation