Open Orphan PLC (AIM:ORPH, OTC:OPORF) said its joint-venture company developing a potentially life-saving drug to combat mosquito-borne diseases has enjoyed some early clinical success.
A phase I assessment of Imutex’s AGS-v PLUS asset showed the vaccine was well tolerated with no serious adverse events and generated a strong immune response in participants.
AGS-v PLUS showed a more robust immune response compared to AGS-v, a first-generation vaccine.
The drug was also shown to affect the reproductive capacity of mosquitoes that fed on vaccinated subjects, The insects laid fewer eggs, researchers at the University of Maryland discovered.
Mosquito-borne diseases include Zika virus, West Nile virus, chikungunya virus, dengue, yellow fever, and malaria.
Estimates suggest these conditions affect 360mln people annually causing 600,000 deaths.
Open Orphan chairman Cathal Friel said: “Imutex's AGS-v and AGS-v PLUS vaccine candidates both employ a novel proposed dual-action mechanism that prevents infection in humans whilst controlling mosquito population by limiting transmission.
"There are more than 600,000 deaths worldwide per year from mosquito-borne diseases, as such, if these positive phase I results translate into clinical efficacy, the potential number of lives saved will be significant."
Immutex, a joint-venture with PepTcell Limited, is 49% owned by Open Orphan.
The full results will be presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene annual meeting.
The data were generated from a collaboration between PepTcell and The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of America’s National Institutes of Health.