Matinas BioPharma Presents Positive Preclinical Data of Orally Available DNA Vaccines at the 27th Annual European Congress of...
April 24 2017 - 7:00AM
Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc. (NYSE MKT:MTNB), a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative
anti-infectives for orphan indications, announced today that it
presented positive preclinical data at the 27th Annual European
Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID),
being held April 22-25, 2017 in Vienna, Austria.
Raphael Mannino, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer
of Matinas, presented the abstract (No. 6782) entitled,
“Efficacious and Commercially Viable DNA Vaccines: Plasmids
Formulated into Lipid-Crystal Nano-Particles for Oral and Systemic
Immunization,” on Sunday, April 23, 2017 as a part of the “Immunity
and Immunogenetics of Infections” session.
The use of DNA plasmids for protective and
therapeutic vaccination continues to advance, however there still
exists a need for safe, efficient and effective DNA vaccine
formulations, and a delivery technology that is cost effective and
commercially viable. This preclinical study evaluated Matinas’
proprietary, disruptive technology, which utilizes lipid-crystal
nano-particle cochleates to nano-encapsulate oligonucleotides,
making them safer, more tolerable, less toxic and orally
bioavailable, as a potential solution for DNA plasmid delivery.
This preclinical study evaluated the oral or
intramuscular injection administration of encochleated formulations
of plasmid pCMV HIV-1 containing 3.5µg or 17µg of DNA, given to
BALB/c mice. Investigators observed that oral administration of two
3.5µg or 17µg doses yielded strong splenocyte cytolytic responses
(73 to 85% specific lysis at an E:T ratio of 100:1) analogous to
intramuscular injection. Oral administration of a higher dose
(50µg) of naked DNA, was inactive. Low doses (3.5µg) of orally
administered encochleated DNA induced antigen specific splenocyte
proliferation 8-11 fold above background, similar to intramuscular.
Naked plasmid was negative. In an additional preclinical study,
mice were immunized intramuscularly with HSV-2 gD2 DNA, 25µg/dose,
(pc DNA 3.1 vector backbone) and two IL12 plasmids (equal mixture
of the p35 and p40 subunits), 35µg/dose. From this study,
investigators observed that the encochleation of gD and IL-12
plasmids induced 2X greater HSV-specific cytolytic T cell responses
than Herpes infection, as well as enhancement of T helper 1
cellular responses and antibody. These studies affirmed that
co-administration of cytokines can enhance the immunogenicity of a
DNA-based vaccine. Naked DNA was inactive.
This preclinical research was led by Dr. Mannino and Ruying Lu
of Matinas BioPharma.
Dr. Mannino commented, “Our cochleate technology
has proven to be a uniquely stable, multilayered, essentially
anhydrous lipid-crystal nano-particle that, following either oral
or systemic delivery, safely and efficaciously delivers drugs and
oligonucleotides to target tissues. The data from this study showed
that cochleates successfully formulate and mediate in vivo delivery
and efficacy of potential oligonucleotide based therapies,
including DNA plasmids, and show promise as a commercially viable
effective formulation for DNA vaccination and DNA plasmid
delivery.”
About Matinas BioPharma
Matinas BioPharma is a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative
anti-infectives for orphan indications. The Company's proprietary,
disruptive technology utilizes lipid-crystal nano-particle
cochleates to nano-encapsulate existing drugs, making them safer,
more tolerable, less toxic and orally bioavailable.
The Company's lead anti-infective product
candidates, MAT2203 and MAT2501, position Matinas BioPharma to
become a leader in the safe and effective delivery of
anti-infective therapies utilizing its proprietary lipid-crystal
nano-particle cochleate formulation technology. For more
information, please visit www.matinasbiopharma.com and connect with
the Company on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+.
Forward Looking Statements:
This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
including those relating to the Company's strategic focus and the
future development of its product candidates, including MAT2203 and
MAT2501, the anticipated timing of regulatory submissions, the
anticipated timing of clinical studies, the Company’s ability to
identify and pursue development and partnership opportunities for
its products or platform delivery technology on favorable terms, if
at all, and the ability to obtain required regulatory approval and
other statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or
refer to future events or conditions. All statements other than
statements of historical fact are statements that could be
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include
words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans,"
"could," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions. These
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors which may cause actual results to be materially different
from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of
risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our ability
to obtain additional capital to meet our liquidity needs on
acceptable terms, or at all, including the additional capital which
will be necessary to complete the clinical trials of our product
candidates; our ability to successfully complete research and
further development and commercialization of our product
candidates; the uncertainties inherent in clinical testing; the
timing, cost and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approvals; our
ability to maintain and derive benefit from the Qualified
Infectious Disease Product (QIDP), Orphan and/or Fast Track
designations for MAT2203 and MAT2501, which does not change the
standards for regulatory approval or guarantee regulatory approval
on an expedited basis, or at all; our ability to protect the
Company's intellectual property; the loss of any executive officers
or key personnel or consultants; competition; changes in the
regulatory landscape or the imposition of regulations that affect
the Company's products; and the other factors listed under "Risk
Factors" in our filings with the SEC, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q
and 8-K. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of
this release. Except as may be required by law, the Company does
not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to
such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances
after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events. Matinas BioPharma's product candidates are all in a
development stage and are not available for sale or use.
Investor Contact
Jenene Thomas
Jenene Thomas Communications, LLC
Phone: +1 (908) 938-1475
Email: jenene@jenenethomascommunications.com