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Bell, PA – October 7, 2008 – |
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VGX Animal Health Inc. (VGXAH) and its parent company, VGX Pharmaceuticals (VGXP), announced today the execution of an exclusive Distribution and Marketing Agreement for its LifeTide™ SW 5 GHRH gene therapy product for pigs in Australia with Country Vet Wholesaling Pty Ltd (CVW). Under the Agreement, CVW has the exclusive right to market, promote, sell and distribute the Product in Australia.
LifeTide™ SW 5 is an injectable DNA plasmid encoding for porcine GHRH, and is administered as a once in a lifetime treatment for use in sows of breeding age to increase the number of piglets weaned. Licensing studies completed in Australia demonstrated a significant decrease in perinatal mortality and morbidity, resulting in an increase in sow productivity and the number of pigs weaned per sow. In January 2008, LifeTide™ SW 5 became the world’s first approved DNA therapy for Food Animals. The complete approval can be viewed on the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority’s web site (http://services.apvma.gov.au).
“We are optimistic that the commercialization of our GHRH product for pigs will significantly expand the use of plasmid GHRH delivered by electroporation to other indications, territories, and mammals, including humans,” stated Douglas R. Kern, D.V.M., M.S., Vice President of Business Development.
VGXAH has also submitted an application for approval of LifeTide™ SW 5 in New Zealand, and plans to seek approval in several other countries in South East Asia. In addition, the Company has initiated studies to support regulatory approval of this technology in other major markets, including the United States and China. Furthermore, VGXAH plans to further develop GHRH technology for companion dogs and cats. VGXP is awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration to study the treatment of humans with GHRH (VGX-3200).
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statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform
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They use words such as "anticipate," "estimate,"
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include statements relating to future actions, prospective products
or product approvals, future performance or results of current and
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such as legal proceedings, and financial results. Any or all of our
forward-looking statements here or in other publications may turn
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by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many such factors will
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no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and forward-looking
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Our actual results may vary materially, and there are no guarantees
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About Country Vet Wholesaling
Country Vet Wholesaling, Pty Ltd. (CVW) was founded in 2001 by Australian rural veterinarians in Bendigo in central Victoria. Country Vet is based in Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland. Supplying products initially to intensive animal industries, Country Vet has expanded into selling products for other species over the last few years to become one of the largest suppliers of animal health products in Australia. More information about CVW can be found at www.countryvet.com.au.
About VGX Animal Health
VGX Animal Health, Inc. (“VGXAH” or “The Company”)
was formed in 2007 as a majority-owned subsidiary of VGX Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (VGXP) specializing in animal health therapeutics. VGXAH’s products
and technology were initially developed by ADViSYS Inc, which was founded
in 1997 and acquired by VGX Pharmaceuticals in early 2007. VGXAH’s
lead product, LifeTide™ SW 5, was approved in Australia in January
2008. The product is an injectable plasmid encoding for porcine Growth Hormone
Release Hormone (“GHRH”). In addition, the Company has conducted
extensive pre-clinical trials for other applications of its proprietary
plasmid-based GHRH therapy in both food and companion animals. Treatment
of cancer cachexia, anemia, and improved milk production are just a few
of the many potential applications of this technology in animal health.
VGXAH’s product candidates and technology programs are protected by
the Company's extensive global intellectual property portfolio. More information
about VGXAH can be found at www.vgxah.com.
About VGX Pharmaceuticals
VGX Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company with small molecule and biologic product candidates for the treatment of infectious diseases, cancer, and inflammatory diseases. The Company's clinical development programs include PENNVAX™-B for HIV infection, which is in 2 separate Phase I clinical trials, VGX-1027 for inflammatory diseases and VGX-3100, a DNA therapeutic vaccine for cervical cancer delivered by VGX’s electroporator, all of which are in Phase I clinical trials. In addition, the Company has filed INDs for VGX-3200, a novel DNA therapy that utilizes GHRH for the treatment of cancer cachexia and anemia and for VGX-3400, a DNA preventative vaccine for avian influenza. VGX has established a vertically-integrated DNA vaccines and therapies platform with extensive capabilities including SynCon™ DNA-based product candidates, the CELLECTRA® delivery device, and access to efficient cGMP plasmid manufacturing. Vertical control over key aspects of product development has enabled the Company to consistently develop multiple product candidates, from bench-to-IND filing, within 1 year. The product candidates and technology programs are protected by the Company's extensive global intellectual property portfolio. More information about VGX can be found at www.vgxp.com.
Company Contact:
Kevin W. Rassas
Senior Vice President
Tel. 267.440.4208
Fax 267.440.4242
E-mail: Rassas@vgxp.com
www.vgxp.com
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