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VGX
Gene Therapy Technology Featured at the 90th Annual Endocrine
Society Meeting
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Woodlands, TX – June 17, 2008– |
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VGX Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VGX)
and its affiliate, VGX Animal Health Inc. (VGXAH), announced today that
the Company’s gene therapy technology for dogs with cancer was presented
at the Endocrine Society’s 90th Annual Meeting. The Meeting takes
place June 15-18, 2008 in San Francisco, CA. The abstract of this technology
was selected for a special media presentation highlighting “Frontier
Research and Exciting Results” as part of a live webcast on June
16.
Dr. Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, the Company’s
Vice President of Research, addressed the media and presented the summary
research findings in a presentation titled “Companion Dogs: Helping
our Helpers”. The archived webcast can be viewed at http://www.webcastcanada.ca/endo/june16-2.php.
The subject technology utilizes a non-viral DNA molecule encoding for
growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) as a potential therapy for cancer
cachexia, also known as wasting syndrome. VGX researchers tested the gene
therapy in 55 companion dogs that had cancer and anemia and were receiving
cancer treatment. Three months after the injection, 54 percent of the
dogs had responded to the therapy as revealed by blood tests. Dogs that
responded to the therapy survived 84 percent longer, compared with dogs
that did not respond to it and untreated control dogs that received a
placebo injection.
The study has implications for treating cachexia associated with human
cancers because dogs with spontaneous malignancies serve as good models
for human disease. VGX Pharmaceuticals is awaiting approval from the Food
and Drug Administration to study the GHRH treatment (VGX-3200) in humans.
VGX Animal Health also plans to develop the GHRH technology for companion
animals including dogs and cats, and already has a product approved for
pigs in Australia (LifeTide™ SW 5).
Further information on the research can be found in the Endocrine Society’s
news release at http://www.endo-society.org/media/ENDO-08/news/Gene-therapy-improves-survival.cfm.
Cautionary Factors That May Affect Future
Results - Materials in this Web site contain information
that includes or is based upon forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
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can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate
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"estimate," "expect," "project," "intend,"
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similar meaning in connection with a discussion of potential future
events, circumstances or future operating or financial performance.
In particular, these include statements relating to future actions,
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outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings, and financial
results. Any or all of our forward-looking statements here or in other
publications may turn out to be wrong. They can be affected by inaccurate
assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many such
factors will be important in determining our actual future results.
Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and
forward-looking statements may be adversely affected by factors, including
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are no guarantees about the performance or valuation of VGX stock.
It is also important to read the disclosure notice contained in many
of the individual VGX documents available on this Web site as many
contain important information on such cautionary factors as of the
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or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
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to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in
our reports. |
About VGX Animal Health
VGX Animal Health, Inc. (“VGXAH” or “The Company”)
was formed in 2007 as a majority-owned subsidiary of VGX Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (VGXP) specializing in animal health therapeutics. VGXAH’s products
and technology were initially developed by ADViSYS Inc, which was founded
in 1997 and acquired by VGX Pharmaceuticals in early 2007. VGXAH’s
lead product, LifeTide™ SW 5, was approved in Australia in January
2008. The product is an injectable plasmid encoding for porcine Growth Hormone
Release Hormone (“GHRH”). In addition, the Company has conducted
extensive pre-clinical trials for other applications of its proprietary
plasmid-based GHRH therapy in both food and companion animals. Treatment
of cancer cachexia, anemia, and improved milk production are just a few
of the many potential applications of this technology in animal health.
VGXAH’s product candidates and technology programs are protected by
the Company's extensive global intellectual property portfolio. More information
about VGXAH can be found at www.vgxah.com.
About VGX Pharmaceuticals
VGX Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company with small molecule and
biologic product candidates for the treatment of infectious diseases, cancer,
and inflammatory diseases. The Company's clinical development programs include
PICTOVIR™ for HIV infection, which is in Phase II clinical trials,
PENNVAX™-B for HIV infection, which is in 2 separate Phase I clinical
trials, and VGX-1027 for inflammatory diseases, which is in Phase I clinical
trials. In addition, the Company has filed INDs for VGX-3100, a DNA therapeutic
vaccine for cervical cancer; VGX-3200, a novel DNA therapy that utilizes
GHRH for the treatment of cancer cachexia and anemia; and VGX-3400, a DNA
preventative vaccine for avian influenza. VGX has established a vertically-integrated
DNA Vaccines and Therapies Platform with extensive capabilities including
SynCon™ DNA-based product candidates, the CELLECTRA®
delivery device, and efficient cGMP plasmid manufacturing. Vertical control
over key aspects of product development has enabled the Company to consistently
develop multiple product candidates, from bench-to-IND filing, within 1
year. The product candidates and technology programs are protected by the
Company's extensive global intellectual property portfolio. More information
about VGX can be found at www.vgxp.com.
Company Contact:
Doug Kern, DVM, MS
Vice President, Business Development
Tel. 281-296-7300
Fax. 281-296-7333
E-mail: dkern@vgxah.com
www.vgxah.com
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