BEIJING, Dec. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ – Yisheng Biopharma Co., Ltd. ("Yisheng Biopharma"), a biopharmaceutical company focusing on research, development, manufacturing, sales and marketing of vaccine products, today announced that Yisheng US Biopharma Inc., its wholly owned research subsidiary, has entered into a collaboration with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases ("USAMRIID") to develop a new vaccine against the Ebola virus using a novel double-stranded RNA-based Toll-Like Receptor 3 (TLR3) agonist adjuvant technology ("PIKA"). The cooperative research partnership represents a new opportunity for both organizations to develop effective and safe vaccine products against Ebola or other viruses.
Under the terms of the agreement, the scientists at USAMRIID will evaluate the potential of PIKA adjuvant for Ebola vaccine or other vaccine candidates. The PIKA adjuvant is a proprietary technology developed by Yisheng Biopharma, named as part of "National Key Medicine Innovation" in 2013 by the National Ministry of Science and Technology of China. Most recently the PIKA rabies vaccine independently developed by Yisheng Biopharma is entering Phase II clinical study, which has exhibited promising efficacy of both prophylactic and therapeutic benefits against deadly rabies virus.
"USAMRIID has gained a great deal of experience with using vaccine adjuvants," commented Dr. Sina Bavari, Science Director at USAMRIID. "TLR-3 agonists such as PIKA adjuvant are known to enhance immune responses. Adjuvants, such as PIKA, activate innate immune signaling and may be used to elicit a more robust immune response to the vaccine."
"We are very pleased to have the USAMRIID join forces in exploring a more effective and safe Ebola Vaccine, which remains a significant unmet medical need. Our PIKA adjuvant has exhibited broad potential to be a revolutionary innovation as a series of novel vaccines based on this technology are under preclinical and clinical investigations against rabies, HIV, Hepatitis-B, influenza, tuberculosis, and other viruses, which could significantly change the clinical practice paradigms against many human and animal virus infections. We are looking forward to updating the progress on these fronts in due course," stated Mr. Yi Zhang, the Chairman of Yisheng Biopharma and the project leader of PIKA adjuvant technology.
Mr. Zhang finally commented, "We are grateful to our research collaborators worldwide for their continuous support of PIKA adjuvant technology and vaccine development over the years, including The Pasteur Institute, the US NIH, Chinese Center For Disease Control And Prevention (China CDC), China National Institutes For Food and Drug Control, DSO National Laboratories Singapore, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Australia QIMR, Sun Yat-Sen University of China, Aeras Pharmaceutical of the US, and Academy of Military Sciences of China."
About Ebola Virus
Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF) is a severe, often-fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees) that has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976. The incubation period for Ebola HF ranges from two to 21 days. The onset of illness is abrupt and is characterized by fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. The current outbreak in West Africa, (first cases notified in March 2014), is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined. It has also spread between countries starting in Guinea then spreading across land borders to Sierra Leone and Liberia, by air to Nigeria and USA, and by land to Senegal and Mali.
About PIKA Adjuvant Technology
PIKA adjuvant technology is a proprietary technology developed in-house at Yisheng Biopharma. The adjuvant is a double-stranded RNA, which acts as a toll-like receptor-3 (TLR-3) ligand to the activation of the innate immune cells, such as dendritic cells, macrophages and NK cells. PIKA adjuvant is formulated as a component of PIKA-adjuvant based rabies vaccine.
About USAMRIID
The mission of the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) is to provide leading edge medical capabilities to deter and defend against current and emerging biological threat agents. Research conducted at USAMRIID leads to medical solutions – vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and information – that benefit both military personnel and civilians. The Institute plays a key role as the lead military medical research laboratory for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. USAMRIID is a subordinate laboratory of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command.
About Yisheng Biopharma Co., Ltd.
Yisheng Biopharma Co., Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Beijing, China, focusing on the research, development, manufacturing and sales and marketing of vaccines products, with approximately 1000 employees in China, the USA and Singapore.