Strong alliance to fight fungal infections

» Intercell and its partner institutions are awarded an EU grant for
targeting research and novel treatments of fungal infections
»
Intercell further strengthens its fungal franchise by supporting the
new Christian Doppler Laboratory “PathoFUN” focusing on the research
of fungal pathogens

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research

Wien (euro adhoc) - Vienna (Austria), April 21, 2008 - Intercell AG
(VSE: ICLL) today announced that the joint project to develop
protective treatments against fungal infections was awarded an
EU-grant. Intercell is coordinating a European consortium of three
academic and commercial partners within the "CanVac" project. The
project aims at developing a vaccine and/or a monoclonal
antibody-based therapy against infections caused by the pathogenic
fungus Candida albicans.

CanVac was one of 41 selected projects among 125 applications
submitted for the first two EuroTransBio transnational calls of the
European Commission and is eligible to receive funds of EUR 1.5 m.
The project is scheduled to run for three years and builds on the
expertise of leading scientists and biotech companies in Austria and
Germany.

Together with the Christian Doppler Research Association (CDG),
Intercell AG is also supporting the newly established Christian
Doppler Laboratory (CDL) in Infection Biology "PathoFUN". PathoFUN is
located at the Max F. Perutz Laboratories, a joint venture of the
University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Campus
Vienna Biocenter. The CDL is headed by the renowned expert in fungal
pathogenesis, Prof. Karl Kuchler. PathoFunwill focus on genomic
approaches to understand fungal virulence and on developing vaccines
and/or monoclonal antibody-based therapies against infections caused
by fungal pathogens such as Candida and Aspergillus species.

"Our dramatic progress in evolving our AIP technology (antigen
identification program) has made it now possible to identify
disease-relevant and protective antigens from much more complex
pathogens than bacteria, such as fungi. Alongside with our
outstanding partners in the EC consortium, and within the new
Christian Doppler Laboratory on Infection Biology, I am confident
that we have built an excellent franchise which will enable us to
quickly find relevant targets leading to novel antibody treatments
and vaccines in an arena where development of antifungal drugs only
reluctantly move forward", states Alexander von Gabain, Intercell´s
Chief Scientific Officer.

Importantly, antifungal treatments are often hampered by resistant
strains, as well as by severe side effects while not being able to
prevent recurrent infections in a significant number of patients.
CanVac was initiated by Intercell AG and its partners to
systematically identify antigens suitable for the development of
monoclonal antibodies or vaccines. CanVac shall be applying expertise
and technologies ranging from full genome sequencing and genome-wide
antigen identification to infectious disease models suitable to
evaluate candidate antigens.

At present, no approved vaccines exist to prevent Candidiasis or
Aspergillosis in humans. Since antifungal drug resistance is emerging
rapidly, mortality rates and the impairment in the quality of life of
patients can only be overcome by new strategies to diagnose, prevent
or treat severe systemic fungal disease. The establishment of the CDL
will greatly support Intercell AG in its efforts to develop vaccines
and monoclonal antibodies for the prevention and treatment of
infectious diseases. The CDL will benefit from the network of
academic and industrial partners at the Campus Vienna Biocenter,
including the Max F. Perutz Laboratories, the CDL Proteomics and
Intercell AG.

About Candidiasis

Candidiasis, also know as "yeast infection", is very common and
usually happens when a weak immune system allows commensal Candida
species to overgrow the normal body flora. Since no vaccines exist to
prevent Candidiasis and antifungal drug resistances hamper therapy,
new strategies are needed which allow broad protection or treatment
in the global fight against this serious medical condition. C.
albicans is normally a harmless commensal in most healthy people, but
it can cause both non-severe infections and life-threatening systemic
candidiasis with high mortality rates. In particular, Candida species
are the leading cause of fungemias worldwide and account for one of
the leading causes of nosocomial blood stream infections.

Partners of Intercell AG´s fungal franchise:

» Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Austria (http://www.mfpl.ac.at) » GATC
Biotech, Germany (http://www.gatc-biotech.com) » Christian Doppler
Gesellschaft (http://www.cdg.ac.at) » CDL at the Medical University
of Vienna (http://www.meduniwien.ac.at)

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: Intercell AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Intercell AG

Lucia Malfent

Head of Communications

Tel. +43 1 20620-303

lmalfent@intercell.com

Branche: Biotechnology
ISIN: AT0000612601
WKN: A0D8HW
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official market


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