Intervacc comments on the trading halt of the company's share on Nasdaq First North
Stockholm, December 15, 2021 - Nasdaq Stockholm has decided to temporarily stop trading in Intervacc after a volatile trading session and a decline in the share price. The reason for the price decline is speculation in social media about the company's vaccine Strangvac, following the Medical Products Agency having published a so-called monograph on the vaccine.
The Medical Products Agency states in the monograph: “Experience has shown that it is difficult to produce a vaccine against strangles that can effectively prevent horses from becoming infected, spreading infection and developing clinical disease. Vaccines therefore do not have a significant place in the management of strangles in Sweden. Horses vaccinated with Strangvac can still become infected, develop clinical disease and spread the infection further. Strangvac can therefore not be used for the purpose of limiting and combating infection and vaccination cannot replace infection control measures to limit the risk of the spread of S. equi."
We agree that it has traditionally been difficult to produce a vaccine against strangles that can effectively prevent horses from becoming infected, spreading infection and developing clinical disease, and the strangles vaccine that has previously been approved in Europe (before Strangvac) is not sold in Sweden. We also fully agree that infection control measures should not be discontinued to limit the risk of the spread of S. equi. We are very active, participate in and support strangles information campaigns in Sweden and in Europe to encourage infection control measures. We will continue to promote the importance of these measures alongside the additional benefits provided by our strangles vaccine.
In the same way as other vaccines, the risk of infection, or severe infection, is reduced, so vaccination is usually associated with a reduction in the spread of infection. One can draw the parallel with vaccination against Covid-19. There are no guarantees that vaccinated individuals will not become infected, but the symptoms experienced by vaccinated individuals are usually much milder, and this usually leads to less infection.
Our interpretation is that the Medical Products Agency wants to ensure that horse owners and veterinarians continue to use infection control measures even after vaccinating their horses. We share this view, and we will be clear that as a horse owner you should continue to follow normal infection control measures. Our goal is to improve the health of horses, beyond what is possible today and that this is done through both preventive infection control measures and vaccination.
When we launch Strangvac and the vaccine begins to be used in the field, we and others will collect data on its effect in the field. Vaccination has so far not had a significant place in the management of strangles in Sweden, but we are convinced that with Strangvac this will change and we have received great support in that belief from leading equine veterinarians in Sweden and throughout the rest of Europe.
Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi, is a complex and devastating bacterial disease, which is endemic to equine populations worldwide. It is important to note that Strangvac does not contain any live bacteria, can be administered by intramuscular injection, and does not prevent the current diagnostic tests from being used to identify strangles cases.
During the experimental studies used to measure the effectiveness of Strangvac, a very high dose of S. equi was used which induced disease in 100% of the control group, well above that normally observed in the field. Our assessment is that these studies represent a worst-case scenario in the field with which to measure the effectiveness of Strangvac. Even two doses of Strangvac provided significant levels of protection and this formed the basis for EMA approval. In addition, published studies (Robinson et al., 2020) showed that a third dose significantly extended the protection provided by Strangvac to 94% of the horses.
For more information please contact:
Andreas Andersson, CEO
Phone: +46-8-120 10 601, cell +46-73-335 99 70
E-mail: andreas.andersson@intervacc.com
The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above on December 15, 2021, 19.30 CET.
This Press Release has been prepared in a Swedish original version published at 16.35 CET.
About Intervacc
Intervacc AB is a Swedish company within animal health developing safe, effective vaccines for animals. The Company's vaccine candidates are based on several years of research at Karolinska Institutet and Swedish University of Agricultural Research where the foundation was laid for the Company´s research and development work. The Intervacc share has been listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market since April 2017 with Eminova Fondkommission AB, adviser@eminova.se, +46 (0)8–684 211 10 as Certified Adviser.
Contact information for Certified Adviser
Eminova Fondkommission AB
E-mail: adviser@eminova.se, Phone: +46 (0)8 – 684 211 10
