Stellar Biotechnologies Customer Finds Increased Uses for the Company’s Key Product
Port Hueneme, CA – June 1, 2010, Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC: SBOTF, TSX-V: KLH) (“Stellar”) is pleased to announce that its long-term customer, Neovacs SA - Paris (Paris Alternext: ALNEV), recently reached significant milestones in the development of its KLH conjugate vaccines using Stellar's KLH as the critical vaccine carrier. Neovacs now has two vaccines in clinical trials using Stellar KLH. They have completed recruitment in a Phase I/II trial of a tumor necrosis factor alpha kinoid (TNF-K) in Crohn’s disease and have dosed the first patient in a Phase I/II trial of an interferon-alpha Kinoid (IFN-K) in lupus patients. Neovacs’ kinoids are immunotherapies that stimulate an antibody response from the immune system to an inactivated cytokine. This immune response aims to eliminate excessive levels of the cytokine targeted. Excessive cytokine production is implicated in multiple diseases, including autoimmunity and cancer.
Prior to this news, Neovacs had announced that it had entered Phase II human trials with a Stellar KLH-based vaccine for rheumatoid arthritis.
Stellar’s Executive VP, Business Development & Finance Darrell Brookstein said, “Our customer’s success in identifying additional indications that respond to KLH conjugate therapy bodes well for Stellar’s plan to increase business development across a broad range of potential therapeutics and diagnostics. Both joint ventures and co-research partnerships will be keys to Stellar’s advancement in the future, and we invite interest from companies and academic research centers. Our scientific and engineering team, combined with our long experience and intellectual property in KLH manufacture and source animal maintenance bring further value to our association.”
About Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc (TSX-V: KLH): Stellar’s product, KLH, is a potent immuno-stimulatory protein with an exceptional record of safety and non-toxicity in humans that is being used in medicines known as conjugate therapeutic vaccines and in other biomedical products. Already a world leader in the production of KLH, Stellar plans to further monetize its KLH production platform and maximize the commercial impact of its intellectual property portfolio through the physical sourcing, purification and supply of medical-grade KLH. KLH is exclusively sourced from the blood of the rare keyhole limpet and Stellar has technology for the maintenance of that animal, as well as a non-lethal extraction method of the critical molecule and refinement process for KLH that it currently sells into growing academic, research, pharmaceutical markets.
About Neovacs Neovacs is a biotechnology company focused on an active immunotherapy technology platform, holds a broad patent portfolio and is developing therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of AIDS, cancer and auto-immune & allergic diseases. Neovacs is acknowledged as a pioneer in the development of novel therapeutic vaccines against human cytokines (kinoids) and immunosuppressive viral proteins (toxoids). Neovacs' therapeutic vaccines induce a powerful, natural polyclonal antibody response in the patient.
Contact:
Darrell Brookstein, Executive VP
858 449 2523 - DBrookstein@StellarBiotech.com
Statements in this press release other than purely historical factual information, including statements relating to revenues or profits, or the Company’s future plans and objectives, or expected sales, cash flows, and capital expenditures constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company’s business, including risks inherent in the technology history. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. Except in accordance with applicable securities laws, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking statements that are incorporated by reference herein. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company’s securities set out herein in the United States, or to, or for the benefit or account of, a U.S. Person or person in the United States. The development of new drug technologies is difficult, erratic and unpredictable. Forecasts and future economic performance depend on research that has yet to be performed and on a number of other factors. The company's future economic performance may differ significantly from that currently forecast.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
