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ots Ad hoc-Service: Mologen Holding AG <DE0006637200> Successful vaccination experiment against the feline immunodeficiency virus FIV

Berlin (ots Ad hoc-Service) -

The sender is solely responsible for the contents of this
announcement.
In the journal AIDS a paper will be published on August 18 which
describes the first use of a vaccine based on Mologen's MIDGE
technology in cats (Lutz, H. et. al. Protection against FIV challenge
infection by genetic vaccination using minimalistic DNA constructs
for FIV env gene and feline IL-12 expression. AIDS 12, 1749-1757
(2000)).
The research was mainly conducted by the group of Prof. Hans Lutz
at the school of veterinary medicine of Zürich University, in
cooperation with Mologen Berlin and Virbac of Larosse, France. The
topic of the investigation was the immunisation of cats against
feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection. FIV causes a
pathogenicity in cats that closely resembles AIDS in man, but is not
harmful to humans. However, the cat model is considered valuable
since FIV and HIV share basic structural features and the
pathophysiology of a FIV infection is similar to that seen with HIV
infection of humans.
In one of several vaccination regimes investigated, three out of
four cats were protected against infection. A similar success at
protection against a natural immunodeficiency virus has not yet been
reported to our knowledge. The cooperation will be continued with the
aim to develop and market a vaccine within the shortest time span
possible. The application of these results to the field of HIV/AIDS
is a matter of further investigation. A vaccine strategy that is
efficacious against FIV infection in cats may provide valuable
insights for possible vaccines against HIV infection in humans where
the need for an efficacious and inexpensive vaccine is urgent.
Prof. Lutz is one of the leading experts worldwide on the topic of
feline viral disease. Virbac is a leading European provider of animal
health care and veterinary vaccines. Mologen develops technologies
for genetic vaccination and gene therapy. Mologen's MIDGE technology
improves the safety and efficacy of therapeutic and preventive uses
of genetic information.

Contact:

Manuel Stern, +49 30 84 17 88 17, stern@mologen.com.

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