In Vivo Proof of Concept for Allergy Vaccine

S-TARget therapeutics (S-TARget), a biotechnology company developing vaccines that address the cause of severe allergic diseases, have announced that it has achieved in vivo proof of concept for its drug candidate SG100. SG100 is being developed for the prevention and therapy of severe allergic asthma caused by house dust mite (HDM) allergens.

In a study of SG100 in naïve rhesus monkeys, S-TARget has demonstrated that repeated injections of the candidate vaccine induced a Th1 cell mediated memory immune response against natural HDM allergens. A Th1 immune response is considered a ‘healthy’ immune response to allergens. By contrast, a Th2-mediated immune response can lead to allergic diseases—which in the case of exposure to HDM allergens include severe and persistent asthma.

“We are excited about the data from this study as it shows that S-TARget’s technology platform is safe and efficacious in a highly relevant animal model”, commented Geert Mudde, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of S-TARget and Co-founder of the company.

Dr Mudde continued: “Based on this proof-of-concept study, we are currently initiating a follow-on study with SG100 in a clinically highly predictive non human primate animal model of house dust mite induced allergic asthma. The goal is to demonstrate the ability of SG100 to not only induce a Th1-mediated immune response, but to remodel existing ‘allergic’ Th2 cells into ‘healthy’ Th1 cells, thus triggering a normal immune response to future HDM exposure. SG100 is specifically designed for the human immune system to achieve exactly this remodelling of allergic Th2-cells. Such remodelling will provide a powerful therapeutic approach to directly address the causes of allergic diseases instead of just treating the symptoms”.

“The encouraging results achieved with SG100 are a major milestone for S-TARget”, commented Christof Langer, MBA, CEO and Co-founder of S-TARget. “We look forward to conducting the follow-on study of SG100 as it will be highly predictive of its subsequent development in the clinic.”

S-TARget expects the results of this study to be available in July 2013.