Follow up of ChronVac-C®-study with a 5th dose commenced

The first patient has now received a 5th dose of the therapeutic vaccine ChronVac-C® without complications. This is one of up to three patients who after the completed treatment with four monthly doses of the vaccine now after a time of wait since the last dose have been offered a fifth vaccination, a so called booster dose. If they are still infected after this they will enter standard of care treatment for their chronic hepatitis C. All four patients from the ChronVac-C® study who have started the standard treatment have cleared the virus in blood within 12 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, three of them had <50 virus copies/mL blood already after 3 or 4 weeks of treatment. This is an unusually rapid response for patients infected with HCV of genotype 1. Thus, this supports the possibility that it might be beneficial to combine ChronVac-C® with standard of care treatment.

Tripep has earlier reported about the results from the 12 patients who have received four vaccinations with ChronVac-C® which showed proof-of-concept for ChronVac-C® treatment having an antiviral effect. Up to three patients in the high dose group have now been offered after some time has elapsed after the last dose to receive a fifth injection with ChronVac-C®. The purpose is to see if a so called booster dose can give a positive effect. As part of clinical routine follow up the patients who participated in the study have the possibility to start what is called standard of care treatment consisting of interferon and ribavirin. Data from the first four patients who now have received standard of care treatment show that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) rapidly has disappeared, cautiously indicating that it might be beneficial to combine ChronVac-C® with standard of care treatment. Three had <50 virus copies/mL blood after four weeks, and all four patients were virus negative at week 12, which is predictive of a cure. This good treatment effect is unusual for patients infected with HCV of genotype 1. In general, only around 10-15% of those will respond to standard of care treatment with <50 virus copies/mL blood within four weeks and only 40-50% are virus free after completed treatment for 48 weeks. All patients who have been included in the ChronVac-C® study will be followed carefully while on standard of care. If the promising results will prevail also with the remaining patients the goal is to find suitable collaboration partners for the further clinical development of ChronVac-C® as a part of a combination therapy. In parallel to this work the preclinical development of ChronVac-C® as mono-therapy is progressing according to plan. “We are happy to having been able to commence the continuation of the ChronVac-C® study with a booster dose. This will give us additional important information on how the vaccine works. It is also very gratifying that all those patients from the ChronVac-C® study who up to now have commenced standard of care treatment have responded unusually rapid. This indicates that they have a good chance to be rid of their infection which is the ultimate goal with hepatitis C-treatment”, says Tripep´s CEO Anders Vahlne. For more information, please contact: Anders Vahlne, CEO and Head of Research, Tripep AB Tel: +46 8 5858 1313, mobile phone: +46 709 28 05 28, E-mail: anders.vahlne@ki.se Tripep develops the therapeutic DNA-vaccines ChronVac-C® and ChronVac-B drugs against chronic hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B-virus infections, i.e. chronic infections with jaundice causing viruses which can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Tripep has also developed and further develops a patent pending new type of injection needle for a more effective uptake of DNA vaccines. Tripep also have part ownership in the wound healing therapy ChronSeal®, and in the new platform technology RAS®. The Tripep share is admitted to trade on First North. Remium AB is Certified Adviser for Tripep AB. For more information, please visit: www.tripep.se In the event of any discrepancy between the Swedish and English versions of this press release, the Swedish version will take precedence.