SciClone gets grant to develop oral formulation
SciClone Pharmaceuticals has received a grant from the U.S. Government to develop an oral formulation for SCV-07, SciClone's proprietary compound that enhances the immune system.
SciClone Pharmaceuticals has received a grant from the U.S. Government to develop an oral formulation for SCV-07, SciClone's proprietary compound that enhances the immune system.
In previous phase 2 clinical trials, SCV-07 formulated as an injectable product demonstrated the capability to significantly increase the rate at which treated tuber-culosis (TB) patients become noncontagious, one of the main goals in treating TB.
SciClone has received an US$840,000 grant from the Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention, a programme offered by the US Department of Energy to support cooperative scientific developments in the former So-viet Union. SciClone's collaborator, Verta Ltd., a bio-technology company in St. Petersburg, Russia, will develop an oral formulation for SCV-07 and conduct phase 2 TB clinical trials in Russia, where the TB mortality rate is among the highest in Europe.
SciClone has exclusive worldwide rights outside of Russia to SCV-07 and to other compounds of a new class of immunomodulators acquired from Verta.
About SCV-07
SCV-07 has shown the capability to stimulate the immune system in a manner similar to SciClone's lead product ZADAXIN, and SCV-07 may have a significant additional benefit of being orally available. Both ZAD-AXIN and SCV-07 promote differentiation of T cells into the T helper 1 (Th1) subset. Studies have shown that Th1 cells are fundamental to fighting infectious diseases, including TB, viral diseases and certain cancers. Studies using the injectable form of SCV-07 were funded by the U.S. Civilian Research and Develop-ment Foundation (CRDF), which continues to support the development of this drug.
About Tuberculosis
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that tuberculosis kills two million people each year, and is the most common infectious disease in the world today. It is estimated that between 2000 and 2020, nearly one billion people will be newly infected, 200 million people will get sick and 35 million people will die from TB. Multidrug-resistant TB is rising at alarming rates in some countries, particularly those of the former Soviet Union.