Mymetics Corporation (OTCQB: MYMX), a pioneer and leader in the research and development of virosome-based vaccines against life threatening and life disabling diseases, announced today that the pre-clinical proof-of-concept study for allergies, with their partner Anergis SA, has met the success criteria.
The mice proof-of-concept immunogenicity study evaluated the effects of the Bet v 1 COPs (Anergis’ proprietary birch pollen allergy peptides) using the five subcutaneous injection schedule used in former AllerT clinical trials. The development of AllerT (Bet v 1 COPs plus aluminum hydroxide) was discontinued by Anergis in 2017 following completion of a Phase 2 clinical trial showing evidence of sensitization to the peptides and a 7% reduction in seasonal allergy symptoms vs placebo (p=0.0047).
In the mice study, AllerT was compared to Bet v 1 COPs linked to Mymetics’ virosomes (the “Bet v 1 COP-virosomes”). Anergis reported that the administration of AllerT led to the development of Bet v 1 specific IgEs (p<0.001) associated with a more pronounced TH2 than TH1 response. In contrast, in the mice receiving the Bet v 1 COP-virosomes, no development of Bet v 1 specific IgEs were observed (p<0.001 vs AllerT). With the same dose of Bet v 1 COPs, there was a strong boost of immunogenicity with a TH1 antibody response, which was a hundred times greater than with aluminum hydroxide (p<0.001). The Bet v 1 COP-virosomes were well tolerated.
This study is part of the research collaboration agreement between Anergis and Mymetics which was signed in April 2018. The success criteria were met and Anergis has now a time limited option to enter into an exclusive license agreement with Mymetics for the use of virosomes in the field of allergies.
Ronald Kempers, CEO of Mymetics, stated: “The results from Anergis are very encouraging and show that our virosomes can have a broad application in vaccines, not only for prevention of infectious diseases but also in the field of immunotherapy for allergies.”