Eqitx vaccine research results published

A research paper in the prestigious US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science this week has underscored the commercial potential of the platform vaccine technology being commercialised by Eqitx (ASX:EQX) subsidiary VacTX, the company has claimed.

Researchers at the Cooperative Research Centre for Vaccine Technology, led by VacTX chief scientist, Melbourne University immunologist Dr David Jackson, reported that VacTX's lipopeptide vaccines generated strong antibody and cytotoxic T-cell responses.

The team reported that the completely synthetic peptide antigens, which have their own adjuvant built into their molecular structure , elicit strong humoral and cellular responses against the intracellular parasite Listeria monocytogenes, the influenza virus, and ovalbumin, the latter serving as a model for 'self' antigens expressed by tumours.

EqiTX's new CEO, Sue MacLeman, said current peptide vaccines have often failed to elicit strong, sustained immune responses. The company's novel vaccine platform technology binds to Toll-like receptors on dendritic cells, stimulating a strong and persistent response from both arms of the immune system.

MacLeman said the lipopeptide molecules have a T-shape, with the bar of the T consisting of the adjuvant on one side, linked to the peptide antigen on the other, atop a stem consisting of a lipid moiety. The lipid targets the antigen to Toll-like receptors on the surface of the dendritic cells, the sentry cells for the immune system. MacLeman said the binding of the molecule to the receptors induces a strong, immediate immune response, and a long-term immune 'memory'.

Any peptide antigen can be 'plugged' into the structure -- MacLeman said VacTX is licensing in ready-to-run antigens from a range of pathogens, cancers and metabolic disorders. It already has proof of concept for the technology in animal models as a potential treatment for prostate cancer and melanoma, notoriously intractable pathogens like the TB bacterium, the hepatitis C virus, and the influenza virus.

"We've also got some promising results from our work on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and and multiple sclerosis," MacLeman said.

Other candidates' for VacTX vaccines include Streptococcus and Staphylococcus bacteria. The latter are responsible for dangerous, hospital-acquired infections that are resistant to most modern antibiotics. However, MacLeman said the company's commercial strategy involved licensing out its proprietary technology to any research group working on vaccines against these pathogens. Amid a "plethora of opportunity", it would focus on developing vaccines for cancer, TB and HCV, using its own, proprietary epitopes, with the aim of adding value rapidly to the company, and boost its share price.

MacLeman said there would be further announcements at tomorrow's Eqitx annual general meeting, in Melbourne.