AmpVacs a Broadly Protective Synthetic Influenza A Vaccine

AMSTERDAM, March 2, 2010 - Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, and
the Netherlands Vaccine Institute announce today the launch of their joint
AmpVacs project aiming at the development of a broadly protective synthetic
influenza A vaccine component that in combination with classical
antibody-stimulating vaccines will induce protection against future influenza
A threats.

The preclinical research phase of the project is funded by the Joint Call
initiative of the three Dutch Public Private Partnerships, the BioMedical
Materials (BMM) program, the Centre for Translational Molecular Medicine
(CTMM) and Top Institute Pharma (TI Pharma), focussing on the interface of
the three institutes: Imaging Guided and Targeted Drug Delivery. Fifty
percent of the total funding budget of 4.2 million euro is provided by the
Dutch government, with the remaining fifty percent being provided by the
consortium partners.

Influenza A infections remain a substantial health threat, as revealed by
the significant annual influenza A-related morbidity and mortality. Both the
preparation for influenza A pandemic and the consequences of such a pandemic
when manifested cause substantial socio-economical costs. Protection afforded
by traditional influenza A vaccines is mediated in large part by antibodies.
In contrast, induction of cytotoxic T cells, the other effector arm of the
adaptive immune system is highly inefficient. Notably, efficient induction of
cytotoxic T cell responses would be highly attractive, as contrary to the
molecular structures recognized by antibodies, the structures recognized by
cytotoxic T cells are in large part conserved between different influenza A
subtypes.

Based on this notion and the proven protective effect of cytotoxic
T cells on influenza A infection in preclinical models, the AmpVacs Vaccine
consortium will develop an innovative fully synthetic influenza A vaccine
component. To achieve this aim, the consortium will build on in-house
technologies developed by the partners. Specifically, the consortium will
make use of T cell imaging technology developed by one of the partners for
the generation of a database of T cell epitopes. This database will then be
utilized for the development and evaluation of a fully synthetic influenza A
vaccine component, using specific formulation technology of the partners.
Thus, the central aim of the consortium is to develop a broadly protective
synthetic influenza A vaccine component that in combination with classical
antibody-stimulating vaccines will induce protection against future influenza
A threats. Notably, the development of the multiplexed T cell imaging
technology for the diagnostics of human immune function that this project
will achieve will form a major fringe benefit of the project that will be of
broad value for future vaccine design.

About Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation

Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation (with its headquarters in Amsterdam, the
Netherlands) is an internationally reputed organization in the field of blood
banking and immuno-hematological research. Sanquin has a track record in
bringing therapeutic proteins, and in vitro diagnostic and research products
to the market and is successfully distributing a substantial product
portfolio covering these fields on the international market.

About the Netherlands Cancer Institute

The Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital
(NKI-AVL), of which Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is patron, consists of a
scientific research laboratory and a specialized clinic. Since its foundation
in 1913, its primary objective has been to combat cancer by combining patient
care, research and education. The staff's ambition is to make a real
contribution to solving the problem of cancer thanks to the unique
interaction between scientific research and clinical application that is
woven into the fabric of the organization.

About the Netherlands Vaccine Institute

The Netherlands Vaccine Institute (NVI) in Bilthoven reflects more than
100 years of extensive knowledge and experience gained through research and
production of vaccines. The NVI is an agency responsible to the Ministry of
Health, Welfare and Sport. It guarantees the supply of vaccines necessary to
protect the Dutch population against infectious diseases. The vaccines are
used both in the regular National Immunisation Programmes and for emergency
vaccination campaigns.

Contacts: AmpVacs project, Ron van Eijk PhD, Principal investigator, Tel: +31-20-5123240, e-mail:r.vaneijk at sanquin.nl; Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Mr. Robert Heckert, Manager Communication, Tel: +31-20-5123771, e-mail:r.heckert at sanquin.nl; The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Ms Danielle Cardozo, Manager Communication, Tel: +31-20-5122867, e-mail:d.cardozo at nki.nl; The Netherlands Vaccine Institute, Ms Margit Govers, Manager Communication, Tel:+31-30-2744182, e-mail:Margit.Govers at nvi-vaccin.nl