Ground breaking results for Tripep in the ongoing clinical trial of ChronVac-C® for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Tripep can today report on preliminary results from the two first patients in the intermediate dose group who now has completed the treatment against hepatitis C virus infection in the ongoing open study with the therapeutic vaccine ChronVac-C®. Samples taken before, during and after treatment show that the viral levels in blood decreased up to 87% (0,89 log10) and 98% (1,5 log10), respectively, during treatment. An activation of the patients T cell responses to hepatitis C was recorded simultaneous with the reductions in the viral load.

”We now have proof-of-concept that ChronVac-C® therapy has an antiviral effect in patients with chronic hepatitis C. In addition to the exciting result ChronVac-C® has the advantage of being administered only a few times, one month apart, in contrast to many of the competing therapies that are under development which require daily medication for extended periods. Taken together this is very promising for the continued development of ChronVac-C® and it supports the significant commercial potential for the product”, says Tripep’s CEO Jan Nilsson.


In contrast to monotherapy with ribavirin, a component of today’s combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C, does ChronVac-C® display a clear antiviral effect as a monotherapy but lacks the side effects associated with ribavirin therapy. In the group treated with the low dose of ChronVac-C® monotherapy transient activations of T cell responses were recorded in two of two tested but no reductions of the viral load in any of the three petients. In two of two tested in the group treated with intermediate dose of ChronVac-C® monotherapy,, persisting T cell responses were recorded simultaneous with clear reductions in the serum levels of hepatitis C virus, indicating that the therapy is dose dependent. Tripep is still waiting for the first results from the high dose group which are expected during the autumn. All three patients have started therapy and no severe adverse events have been recorded. Taken together, Tripep judges that these data supports the view that ChronVac-C® has the potential to be used in many areas of the hepatitis C therapy, from a first-line therapy to being a component in combination therapies.

The total market for therapies against hepatitis C infections is according to Rodman&Renshaw estimated to be over 4 billion dollars 2008 and is expected to grow to more than 8 billion dollars by 2013.


For more information, please contact:
Jan Nilsson, CEO, Tripep AB
Tel: +46 8 449 84 80, mobile phone: +46 70 466 31 63
E-mail: jan.nilsson@tripep.se

Anders Vahlne, Head of Research, Tripep AB
Tel: +46 8 5858 1313, mobile phone: +46 709 28 05 28
E-mail: anders.vahlne@ki.se


About Tripep
Tripep develops drugs against chronic disease based on proprietary and other parties’ patented and patent pending technologies. Tripep is focusing on the following research projects; wound healing therapy ChronSeal and a therapeutic vaccine against Hepatitis C, named ChronVac-C®, plus the RAS® technology platform. The Tripep share is admitted to trade on First North. Remium AB is Certified Adviser for Tripep AB. For more information, please refer to the company’s website: www.tripep.se.

About ChronVac-C
ChronVac-C® is a therapeutic vaccine, i.e. it is given to individuals already infected with the hepatitis C virus with the aim to clear the infection by boosting the immune response against the virus. Tripep's ChronVac-C® vaccine is injected in a muscle with Inovio's Medpulser® DDS.
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About the ChronVac-C® study
The study is conducted at the Infectious Disease Clinic and the Centre for Gastroenterology at the Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge and Solna, respectively and entails totally 12 patients divided into three dose groups with
increasing doses of ChronVac-C®. Each patient receives four ChronVac-C® vaccinations one month apart. After the last vaccination the patients are followed for another six months. The main purpose of the study is safety and this far no unexpected adverse events have been recorded. The secondary aim is to determine the immunogenicity and the tertiary
aim is to monitor effects on the viral replication. Currently another four patients are undergoing treatment.