Study designed to evaluate safety and tolerability of a novel peptide-based immunotherapy to treat peanut allergies

MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aravax, a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing the first safe and rapidly effective treatment for peanut allergy, will present data from a recently completed Phase 1 clinical trial of PVX108 immunotherapy at the 2019 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting taking place February 22nd - 25th in San Francisco. PVX108 is a peptide-based immunotherapy designed to safely induce immune tolerance to peanut allergens without the safety limitations of other approaches that expose patients to intact, allergenic protein that may cause allergic reactions or anaphylaxis during treatment. 

The data will be presented in a poster titled: “Safety and Tolerability of a Novel Peptide-Based Immunotherapy for Peanut Allergy” (Abstract L31) at 9:45 a.m. PST on Monday, February 25th [Late Breaking Abstracts, Session 4216, Moscone Centre South Hall B].

“Peanut allergy is a life-threatening condition that effects up to two percent of the global population yet currently lacks a cure,” said Pascal Hickey, CEO of Aravax. “PVX108 targets the malfunctioning T cells that are the underlying cause of peanut allergy. We believe that the precision of this peptide-based, immunotherapy approach will produce significant advantages with respect to safety, efficacy and convenience compared with other approaches currently in development. We are pleased to have the opportunity to share the results of this Phase 1 clinical trial with members of the allergy community at AAAAI.”

Dr. Robyn O’Hehir, Professor and Head of Department of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Central Clinical School, Monash University and Chief Medical Advisor on the Phase 1 trial, will also discuss the abstract during an AAAAI press conference.

About Aravax
Aravax is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing the first safe and rapidly effective treatment for peanut allergy. The treatment uses highly targeted technology that can reset the immune system to tolerate peanut without evoking allergic reactions during treatment.

Aravax’s technology is underpinned by over a decade of research led by Professor Robyn O’Hehir and her team at Alfred Health and Monash University, which has been supported by the Australian Food Allergy Foundation, the Alfred Hospital Trust, and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. 

Aravax developed PVX108 by carefully selecting fragments of peanut proteins to switch off allergic reactions to peanuts. The product does not contain whole protein allergens which are known to cause life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. PVX108 therefore has the potential to break the paradigm of allergen immunotherapy by targeting the underlying cause of disease without exposing patients to the risk of acute reactions to treatment.  

Aravax is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

For more information visit: www.aravax.com.au

CONTACTS:

Media Relations

Erich Sandoval
Lazar Partners
917-497-2867
esandoval@lazarpartners.com