Pharmexa receives patent in the United States and Europe on new vaccine candidate

Summary: Pharmexa has been granted a patent in the United States and has received communication of intent to grant from the European patent authorities on GV1003, a new peptide vaccine candidate aimed at the telomerase enzyme which is crucial to cancer cells’ ability to divide.

The telomerase enzyme, which is crucial to cancer cells’ ability to divide, may be found in several forms as a result of mutations. GV1003 is aimed at a particularly interesting form, known as the sigma insert. Scientific investigations indicate that the sigma insert mutation may be found in many cancer types and that the mutation, exactly because it displays a slightly changed sequence of amino acids compared to normal telomerase, could be an ideal target for immunotherapy. Pharmexa is currently investigating GV1003 as a new vaccine candidate in preclinical studies, both internally and in collaboration with Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden. The aim of this research is to investigate how frequent this mutation is and thereby the possibility of developing GV1003 as a new universal cancer vaccine. Pharmexa’s Phase III cancer vaccine GV1001 is also aimed at the telomerase enzyme.

Pharmexa has received a broad patent in the United States on GV1003 and has received “notice of allowance” from the European patent authorities, signifying that a European patent will be issued shortly. The patents cover GV1003 and a number of associated peptides. Besides protecting Pharmexa’s rights to GV1003 these patents further strengthen Pharmexa’s intellectual property around peptide vaccines aimed at telomerase, including the vaccine GV1001, and creates a possibility to expand and prolong the company’s and its future partners’ market exclusivity in this attractive field.

Hørsholm, September 8, 2006

Jakob Schmidt
Chief Executive Officer

Note to editors: Pharmexa A/S is a leading company in the field of active immunotherapy and vaccines for the treatment of cancer, serious chronic and infectious diseases. Pharmexa’s proprietary technology platforms are broadly applicable, allowing the company to address critical targets in cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, bone degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as serious infectious diseases such as HIV, influenza, hepatitis and malaria. Its leading programs are GV1001, a peptide vaccine that has entered phase III trials in pancreatic cancer and is expected to enter a phase II trial in liver cancer soon, as well as a number of HIV and hepatitis vaccines in phase I/II. Collaborative agreements include H. Lundbeck, Innogenetics, IDM Pharma and Bavarian Nordic. With operations in Denmark, Norway and USA, Pharmexa employs approximately 100 people and is listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange under the trading symbol PHARMX.

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Jakob Schmidt

Chief Executive Officer

Pharmexa A/S

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