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Merix Bioscience Changes its Name to Argos Therapeutics
Company Prepares for HIV Vaccine Trial
Durham, NC– Oct. 5, 2004 – Merix Bioscience today announced
the change of its name to Argos Therapeutics, Inc. Additionally, the
company stated that it is preparing for an HIV clinical trial with Argos’ proprietary
RNA-loaded dendritic cell vaccine.
“This change in name reflects the evolution and success of
our technology platform,” said Clint Dederick, Jr., chairman and CEO of Argos
Therapeutics. “With our patented technology, a clinical trial underway
for renal cancer and a clinical trial scheduled to begin for HIV, we’ve
entered into an exciting new chapter for our company. We’re focused
on providing new therapies that will offer patients around the globe
a new promise for treating diseases, and a better quality of life during
the treatment.”
Several prominent events, including two this year, have brought Argos
to this juncture.
In March 2004, Argos (then Merix) entered into an agreement with Geron
in which Argos received 5 million shares of Geron stock, valued at over
$43 million. In exchange, Geron was granted the co-exclusive right to
use Argos’ platform technology in specific therapeutic cancer vaccines
using telomerase and other defined antigens. Argos’ technology
obtained significant validation when Geron announced that the telomerase
cancer vaccine induced vigorous immune responses without side effects
in a Phase I/II clinical trial recently completed at Duke University
Medical Center.
In June 2004, Argos and Kirin Brewery’s Pharmaceutical Division
entered into a collaboration to develop and commercialize dendritic cell
vaccines in the areas of cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders
and transplantation. As part of the agreement, Kirin made an equity investment
in Argos and each party will contribute an estimated $45-65M during the
first three years of the collaboration.
Additionally, Argos began a clinical trial in June 2004, focusing on
the treatment of renal (kidney) cancer. Results for this phase I/II trial
are anticipated in 2005. According to Charles Nicolette, Ph.D., vice
president of Research and Development for Argos, in addition to cancers,
the Argos personalized vaccine therapy is well suited for diseases that
affect the body’s immune system.
“Our patented RNA-loaded
DC vaccine technology provides a substantial competitive advantage in
the field of antiviral vaccination,” said Nicolette. “Argos
has already generated an HIV vaccine and an investigator-sponsored trial
is expected to begin early next year at the Academic Medical Center (AMC)
in Amsterdam. ”
The Argos vaccine is novel in that it involves personalizing the treatment
to the person’s own strain of virus, including the quasi species
that infect any given patient with HIV. The company recently filed a
patent application covering its HIV vaccine technology.
“Previously tested HIV vaccines have not proven to control
the viral infection and did not effectively target mutant viral subspecies
that exist in
the patient,” explained Nicolette. “We believe our Argos
personalized RNA-loaded DC vaccine is uniquely suited for treating HIV
because the virus mutates so rapidly from one person to another that
no two individuals have the same disease sequence. Our therapy is capable
of generating anti-viral immune responses perfectly matched to a patient’s
viral species.”
To make the personalized HIV vaccine, a small amount of plasma from an
infected patient is used to amplify the RNA encoding four HIV antigens
derived from the patient’s own infectious virus variants. The RNA
is then loaded into dendritic cells, made from the patients own blood
cells, and this creates the vaccine which is personalized for each patient’s
specific disease. The vaccine activates the patient’s immune system
to recognize and fight the various strains of the HIV virus infecting
the patient.
The company also launched a newly-designed website, detailing its technology
platform and different disease categories for which it is developing
immunotherapies: www.argostherapeutics.com
Argos Therapeutics, Inc., formerly Merix Bioscience, is dedicated to
becoming a market leader in the field of immunotherapy. By using proprietary
technology and proven therapeutic methods and expertise in dendritic
cell biology, Argos is developing the next generation of therapies in
the areas of oncology, infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders and
transplantation. Our focus is bringing to market therapeutic options
that not only offer new promise for treatment of intractable diseases,
but also an improved safety profile and better patient quality of life
during treatment. Please visit us at www.argostherapeutics.com
# # #
This news release may contain forward-looking statements
made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that
such forward-looking
statements in this press release regarding potential applications of
Argos’ technology constitute forward-looking statements involving
risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent
in the development and commercialization of potential products, reliance
on collaborators, need for additional capital, need for regulatory approvals
or clearances, and the maintenance of our intellectual property rights.
Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in
these forward-looking statements.
Editor Contact:
Argos Therapeutics, Inc.
Bradd Pavur, Gibbs & Soell, Inc.
Tel: 919-870-5718 bpavur@gibbs-soell.com
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