HOOKIPA Pharma Announces Publication of HB-101 Phase 1 Results in The Journal of Infectious Diseases

NEW YORK and VIENNA, Austria, April 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hookipa Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK, ‘HOOKIPA’), an organization growing a brand new class of immunotherapeutics concentrating on infectious ailments and cancers based mostly on its proprietary arenavirus platform, right now introduced the publication in The Journal of Infectious Illnesses of the Part 1 outcomes of HOOKIPA’s VaxWave^®-based prophylactic Cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine candidate HB-101, which is presently in a Part 2 scientific trial.

The paper concludes that HB-101 was properly tolerated and induced CMV-specific poly-functional CD8 T cell and neutralizing antibody responses in almost all topics. The absence of vector-neutralizing antibody responses allowed all CMV antigen-specific immune responses to be elevated in a statistically vital method upon repeated vaccine re-administration, which ought to facilitate extra booster vaccinations. Therefore, HOOKIPA’s vaccine candidate holds promise for prevention of clinically vital CMV an infection in transplant recipients and unborn kids.

“The impression of CMV infections, particularly within the area of immunosuppressed sufferers, like transplant recipients, is extreme and a prophylactic CMV vaccine could be game-changing,” commented Paul Griffiths, MD DSc FRCPath, Professor of Virology, Institute of Immunity & Transplantation at College School London. “The sector wants a vaccine that induces each cell-mediated and humoral immunity. These Part 1 outcomes from HOOKIPA are very encouraging, so I sit up for seeing the outcomes from the Part 2 trial that’s underway in transplant sufferers.”

Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is a virus that’s generally transmitted in childhood and early maturity. Roughly 60% of the U.S. inhabitants has been uncovered and is latently contaminated. Worldwide knowledge point out that half the individuals in industrialized international locations and as much as 99% of individuals in growing international locations, together with China and India, have been contaminated. Infections usually end in lifelong latent persistence of the virus with few signs, if any. Nevertheless, in unborn kids, when contaminated in utero, CMV an infection can result in vital morbidity and mortality. As well as, in immunosuppressed sufferers, corresponding to transplant recipients, main CMV an infection or reactivation of CMV causes vital morbidity, mortality and graft rejection.

The publication, “A randomized dose-escalating Part I trial of a replication-deficient lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus vector-based vaccine in opposition to human cytomegalovirus,” is offered on-line in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

About HOOKIPA

HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK) is a scientific stage biopharmaceutical firm growing a brand new class of immunotherapeutics concentrating on infectious ailments and cancers based mostly on its proprietary arenavirus platform that’s designed to reprogram the physique’s immune system.

HOOKIPA’s proprietary arenavirus-based applied sciences, VaxWave^®, a replication-deficient viral vector, and TheraT^®, a replication-attenuated viral vector, are designed to induce strong antigen particular CD8⁺ T cells and pathogen-neutralizing antibodies. Each applied sciences are designed to permit for repeat administration to enhance and refresh immune responses. TheraT^® has the potential to induce CD8⁺ T cell response ranges beforehand not achieved by different immuno-therapy approaches. HOOKIPA’s “off-the-shelf” viral vectors goal dendritic cells in vivo to activate the immune system.

HOOKIPA’s VaxWave^®-based prophylactic Cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine candidate is presently in a Part 2 scientific trial in CMV-negative sufferers awaiting kidney transplantation from residing CMV-positive donors in addition to CMV-positive sufferers awaiting kidney transplantation from CMV-positive or -negative donors. To increase its infectious illness portfolio, HOOKIPA has entered right into a collaboration and licensing settlement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. to collectively analysis and develop practical cures for HIV and power Hepatitis B infections.

As well as, HOOKIPA is constructing a proprietary immuno-oncology pipeline by concentrating on virally mediated most cancers antigens, self-antigens and next-generation antigens. The TheraT^® based mostly lead oncology product candidates, HB-201 and HB-202, are in improvement for the therapy of Human Papilloma Virus16-positive cancers. The Part half scientific trial for HB-201 was initiated in December 2019. The HB-202 IND submission is meant for the primary half of 2020.

Discover out extra about HOOKIPA on-line at www.hookipapharma.com.

HOOKIPA Ahead Wanting Statements

Sure statements set forth on this press launch represent “forward-looking” statements inside the that means of the Non-public Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Ahead-looking statements could be recognized by phrases corresponding to “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “potential,” “would” or comparable expressions and the destructive of these phrases. Such forward-looking statements contain substantial dangers and uncertainties that would trigger HOOKIPA’s analysis and scientific improvement packages, future outcomes, efficiency or achievements to vary considerably from these expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such dangers and uncertainties embrace, amongst others, the uncertainties inherent within the drug improvement course of, together with HOOKIPA’s packages’ early stage of improvement, the method of designing and conducting preclinical and scientific trials, the regulatory approval processes, the timing of regulatory filings, the challenges related to manufacturing drug merchandise, HOOKIPA’s means to efficiently set up, defend and defend its mental property, dangers regarding enterprise interruptions ensuing from the coronavirus (COVID-19) illness outbreak or comparable public well being crises and different issues that would have an effect on the sufficiency of current money to fund operations and HOOKIPA’s means to realize the milestones beneath the settlement with Gilead. HOOKIPA undertakes no obligation to replace or revise any forward-looking statements. For an additional description of the dangers and uncertainties that would trigger precise outcomes to vary from these expressed in these forward-looking statements, in addition to dangers regarding the enterprise of the corporate usually, see HOOKIPA’s annual report on Kind 10-Ok for the complete yr ended December 31, 2019 which is on the Safety and Alternate Fee’s web site at www.sec.gov and HOOKIPA’s web site at www.hookipapharma.com.

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