Orchestra Therepeutic Stops HIV Vaccine Development

According to a press release from Orchestra Therapeutics today, the company has discontinued its HIV Vaccine Development Program.

The decision was made after data from 70 patients testing the vaccine, called IR103, for 52 weeks did not show substantial results compared to the company's original vaccine, called REMUNE®. Joseph F. O'Neill, MD MPH President and CEO of Orchestra Therapeutics, said, "While recognizing that the sample size is too small to achieve statistical significance, these results are, nonetheless, less than we had expected. We are deeply appreciative of the support that our investors, clinical researchers, and patients have given to development of this approach to an HIV vaccine and know that knowledge gained through our efforts will contribute to the eventual discovery of an immune therapy for HIV/AIDS. Our company, however, does not have the resources to move this program forward at this time."

The press release also mentions that Orchestra Therapeutics will be working with PharaBioSource Realty, LCC, who will act as a broker to sell the company's HIV Vaccine facility. "Selling the assets of this facility will bring new capital into the company, help us to further reduce our burn rate, and thereby strengthen Orchestra's potential to emerge as the world's leading autoimmune immunotherapy company in the months and years ahead," Dr. O'Neill said.

Orchestra is still looking for other ways to distribute its HIV Vaccine related assets. The company plans to either sell or donate them to another company that could continue their research and development. "The rationale for investigation of a whole killed virus approach to an HIV/AIDS vaccine remains strong. I trust that the effort that Orchestra Therapeutics has made will stimulate other researchers' interest and effort in this field. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is far too devastating to leave any stone unturned in the quest for an effective vaccine," said Dr. Peter Salk, a member of Orchestra's HIV Scientific Advisory Committee.

Orchestra Therepeutic's website mentions that their other major project is NeuroVax, an "immune-based therapy designed to work with the body's own defense system to combat multiple sclerosis (MS)." The press release only says that development will stop on the company's HIV Vaccines, not NeuroVax.

The company's first HIV Vaccine, REMUNE®, is designed to stimulate a patient's immune system to attack HIV. REMUNE® was tested on over 2,000 patients in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, showing promising results. The vaccine would be used in conjunction with other drugs to slow the effects of AIDS.

Sources:

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-17-2007/0004627569&EDATE=

http://www.orchestratherapeutics.com/pipeline/pipeline.htm