Healthcare Industry News: needle-free
News Release - August 22, 2007
Two Separate Studies Presented at the AIDS Vaccine 2007 Conference Show Improved Results with the Biojector(R)2000
Studies Report Significantly Improved Results with needle-free DeliveryPORTLAND, Ore.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Bioject Medical Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:BJCT ), a leading developer of needle-free drug delivery systems, today reported results from two studies presented at the AIDS Vaccine 2007 Conference in Seattle, Washington, which showed significantly improved results when the Biojector®2000 ("B2000") needle-free system is used for the delivery of DNA vaccines.
In the first study, The National Institutes of Health presented data showing an enhanced immune response with the B2000 versus a needle and syringe for a particular DNA vaccine. The study compared the safety and immunogenicity of the NIAID Vaccine Research Center candidate DNA HIV-1 vaccine delivered by the B2000 needle-free injection device or needle and syringe. The results show a significantly higher magnitude of HIV-specific T cell and antibody response is achieved after recombinant adenovector boosting when DNA priming is delivered with the B2000 rather than with needle and syringe.
In a second study, the Karolinska Institute, of Stockholm, Sweden, presented data from a study indicating that a low dose intradermal delivery with the B2000 was as effective as a high dose delivered intramuscularly. The data indicated that the best responses were with vaccines in patients under 40 years of age receiving a low dose DNA intradermal injection or a high dose intramuscular injection. The objective of the study was to optimize the priming with HIV-1 DNA plasmids prior to HIV-1 Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) boost and to develop expertise and capability to study HIV-1 vaccines in Tanzania.
"From our experience in using the Biojector exclusively for our HIV DNA vaccine trials, the data shows, after boosting, a small dose given intradermal can be as effective as a large dose given intramuscular thus using a reduced dose of vaccine," said Dr. Eric Sandstrom of the Karolinska Institute.
"Bioject has been working with these, and many other collaborators, to improve the delivery of developing vaccines as well as current vaccines. We have been chosen as the exclusive needle-free delivery system because we improve the efficacy of the vaccine and it is a safer delivery system because of no needle. With many diseases still being spread by needle-stick injuries, it seems the most effective way to eliminate this is to use a safer system," said Dr. Richard Stout, Bioject's Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.
Facts about HIV worldwide:
* Over 22 million people have died from AIDS.
* Over 42 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and 74 percent of these infected people live in sub-Saharan Africa.
* Over 19 million women are living with HIV/AIDS.
* By the year 2010, five countries (Ethiopia, Nigeria, China, India, and Russia) with 40 percent of the world's population will add 50 to 75 million infected people to the worldwide pool of HIV disease.
* There are 14,000 new infections every day (95 percent in developing countries). HIV/AIDS is a "disease of young people" with half of the 5 million new infections each year occurring among people ages 15 to 24.
* The UN estimates that, currently, there are 14 million AIDS orphans and that by 2010 there will be 25 million.
Bioject Medical Technologies Inc., based in Portland, Oregon, is an innovative developer and manufacturer of needle-free drug delivery systems. needle-free injection works by forcing medication at high speed through a tiny orifice held against the skin. This creates a fine stream of high-pressure fluid penetrating the skin and depositing medication in the tissue beneath. The Company is focused on developing mutually beneficial agreements with leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and veterinary companies.
For more information on Bioject, visit www.bioject.com.
Source: Bioject Medical Technologies
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