Press Release
Argos Announces Issuance of Patent Covering the Foundation for Manufacturing its HIV Immunotherapy
DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Argos Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:ARGS), an immuno-oncology company focused on the development and commercialization of individualized immunotherapies based on the Arcelis® precision immunotherapy technology platform, today announced the issuance of U.S. patent 9,879,053, covering the strain-independent amplification of human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, nucleic acid sequences for use in vaccinations.
The methods described in this patent form the foundation for the manufacture of AGS-004, Argos' novel, dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for HIV. AGS-004 consists of autologous dendritic cells electroporated with amplified virus RNA and CD40L RNA that are designed to stimulate T cells to attack HIV-infected cells. Because HIV has a high mutation rate, viral variants are different in each patient. The methods described in this patent are used to amplify RNA encoding the unique viral variants in an individual from a small amount of blood or infectious plasma from which the virus can be isolated. This allows the generation of immunotherapies that are matched to the unique pathogen mutations in a specific individual, thus facilitating the development of a customized immunotherapy that may be more effective at controlling or eliminating the pathogen. The claims in this patent are directed to AGS-004, methods of manufacturing AGS-004 and methods of treatment utilizing AGS-004.
AGS-004 is currently being evaluated in an investigator sponsored Phase 2 clinical trial in combination with the latency-reversing agent vorinostat under the direction of David Margolis, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, and Director of the HIV Cure Center at the University of North Carolina. The latent viral reservoir consists of infected immune cells in which the HIV virus is dormant and therefore hidden from attack by the immune system. Largely because of the latent viral reservoir, currently available agents for the treatment of HIV, while able to limit the proliferation of the HIV virus, have not been successful in eradicating the virus and thus curing HIV. The trial is designed to test the hypothesis that boosting antiviral immunity with AGS-004 combined with a latency reversing drug to expose the virus in latently infected cells to the immune system may enable eradication of the virus.
"We believe that our ability to customize the immune response to patients' unique viral variants, particularly to those variants persisting in the latent viral reservoir, offers a scientifically compelling rationale for this study," noted Irina Tcherepanova, Ph.D., vice president of translational medicine, Argos Therapeutics. Initial data from the ongoing clinical trial is expected during the second half the patents and patent applications owned or licensed by the Company, such as the patent referred to in this release, will protect the Company's technology and prevent others from infringing it;