IMMUNEREGEN REPORTS RESULTS OF SEASONAL FLU TRIAL

ImmuneRegen BioSciences has announced results from tests conducted using Viprovex in a severe influenza treatment study. Tests evaluating Viprovex as a measure in the possible treatment of influenza virus infection were conducted by Virion Systems. Influenza studies were performed using a cotton rat model system with the influenza A/Wuhan/359/95 (H3N2), a robust, peer-reviewed model system for studying human influenza, according to the company.

The company believes that preliminary results of Viprovex treatment of cotton rats infected with the H3N2 influenza virus provide indications that Viprovex may have positive effects on enhancing immunity against influenza infection and support ongoing development of Viprovex as a potential treatment for seasonal influenza.

Viprovex treatment reduced nasal and lung titers one to two logs compared with infected but untreated controls. In addition, treated animals appeared to lose less weight than untreated infected animals and appeared to regain normal body weight more rapidly. Additionally, Viprovex-treated animals appeared to have less change in body temperature then untreated animals.

The company believes that the preliminary data suggests that Viprovex could have positive effects in the treatment of influenza, perhaps through the modulation of cytokine activation and in the enhancement of innate immunity to influenza. Additional studies are under way in this and other influenza model systems to confirm and expand these results.