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ABL supports Profectus BioSciences with preclinical efficacy studies for its subunit vaccine for HIV, IHV001
[March 04, 2014]

ABL supports Profectus BioSciences with preclinical efficacy studies for its subunit vaccine for HIV, IHV001


ROCKVILLE, Md. --(Business Wire)--

ABL, Inc., a biomedical contract research and manufacturing organization to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, has been selected by Profectus BioSciences, Inc. (Profectus) to evaluate different delivery regimens of one of its HIV vaccine candidates. Selected regimens will be tested using an SIV infection model. ABL has performed vaccine and microbicide preclinical studies for over thirty years, and has developed a suite of technologies that support preclinical evaluation of HIV vaccine strategies in animal models. These include a sensitive viral RNA assay platform to detect low levels of transmitted virus, genetic tests to identify allelic variants of genes that could impact vaccine efficacy, as well as mucosal T cell and antibody responses that could thwart viral infection. The in vivo portion of the study will be performed by BIOQUAL under a strategic teaming agreement with ABL.

As part of its comprehensive HIV vaccine program, Profectus is developing a subunit vaccine composed of the envelope glycoprotein of HIV complexed with its receptor CD4, called IHV001. This complex triggers a structural rearrangement of the envelope to reveal a structure exposed as the virus enters a cell it is infecting. ABL has supported Profectus' preclinical vaccine program for almost 10 years. The subject of this collaboration centers on optimizing the efficacy of the vaccine by combining it with the Profectus genetic adjuvant platform. Development of this vaccine is a collaboration between Profectus and scientists at the Institute for Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine. ABL's President and CEO Thomas VanCott commented, "Profectus is a long-time partner, and we are very pleased to cotinue providing expert scientific know-how to optimize their vaccine for world-wide application." This portion of the effort is funded through a Small Business Innovative Research (News - Alert) (SBIR) grant award to Profectus from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID).



About ABL

Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc. (ABL) is a Maryland-based biomedical contract research and manufacturing organization dedicated to advancing vaccines, therapeutics and other biologic products. ABL has extensive experience working with diverse organizations, including various government and academic entities and commercial bio/pharmaceutical companies. Notable services include basic research, product design, process and assay development, preclinical studies, clinical immunomonitoring and immunogenicity testing, and Phase I/II cGMP biologics manufacturing. Since 2001 ABL has been a part of the Institut Mérieux, a group of companies dedicated to developing translational science for better patient care globally. For more information on ABL and our services, please visit our website at http://www.ablinc.com/.


About Profectus BioSciences, Inc.

Profectus is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel vaccines to prevent and treat major chronic viral infectious diseases and associated cancers for which standard of care is inadequate or nonexistent, as well as emerging infectious diseases of public health and biodefense importance. Profectus vaccines are based on the company's proprietary Prime/Boost System of Vaccines (PBS Vax™) discovery engine, which enables quantitative and qualitative tailoring of effective immune responses to specific disease targets. Clinical studies of PBS Vax™ have shown a favorable safety profile and significantly enhanced immune responses. The PBS Vax™ discovery engine is creating a pipeline of differentiated new vaccines that have the potential to be first-in-class or best-in-class products to treat and prevent diseases. Profectus' lead candidates include a therapeutic and prophylactic vaccine for HIV that initiated human clinical studies in 2013 and is currently being used in the clinic as part of the National Institutes of Health's HIV "Cure Agenda," and a vaccine against the Ebola and Marburg viruses that provided 100% protection of monkeys against lethal challenge with these agents when tested by the U.S. government. For more information, please visit www.profectusbiosciences.com.

About BIOQUAL Inc.

BIOQUAL, Inc. (BIOQ (Pinksheets)), based in Rockville, Maryland, is committed to providing quality research, development, consulting, and testing/assay services to commercial clients and Government laboratories. For more information about BIOQUAL, please visit its website at www.bioqual.com.


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