BEIJING and FORT DETRICK, Md., July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Yisheng Biopharma Co., Ltd.  ("Yisheng Biopharma"), a biopharmaceutical company focusing on research, development, manufacturing, sales and marketing of biological vaccines and pharmaceutical products, and the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases  ("USAMRIID") today announced preliminary positive animal results of a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine in combination with PIKA adjuvant,  a Toll-Like Receptor 3 (TLR3) agonist. This study was conducted by the scientists at USAMRIID under the cooperative partnership between the two institutions. The Ebola VLP vaccine was developed by USAMRIID and PIKA is a proprietary product from Yisheng Biopharma.             

In this study, the scientists at USAMRIID evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of their VLP vaccine candidate in a murine model with or without PIKA adjuvant against Ebola virus infection in a laboratory setting.  Under the virus challenge study, the group of animals vaccinated without PIKA adjuvant demonstrated 40 percent protection measured by the survival rate; the groups of animals vaccinated with PIKA adjuvant showed 100 percent protection at both high and low dose levels of the PIKA adjuvant. The superior survival rate with PIKA adjuvant was consistent with production of significantly higher antigen-specific antibody titers in comparison to vaccination with VLP alone.

"This is the first time we have evaluated the performance of PIKA adjuvant in combination with our VLP vaccine candidate against Ebola virus infection," commented Dr. Sina Bavari, Science Director at USAMRIID. "This study provides a solid foundation for us to conduct further studies in exploring safer and more effective vaccine products against Ebola virus infection, which remains a significant unmet medical need,"

"We are very excited to see the first efficacy evidence of our PIKA adjuvant from USAMRIID scientists in Ebola vaccine development. This opens an exciting new arena in identifying clinical candidate Ebola vaccines. We look forward to seeing more data from USAMRIID," stated Mr. Yi Zhang, Chairman and CEO of Yisheng Biopharma.

According to Mr. Zhang, PIKA adjuvant has demonstrated good safety and robust efficacy in completed and ongoing human trials of PIKA-adjuvanted rabies vaccine. PIKA adjuvant has also exhibited great potential in preclinical studies in vaccines against HIV, Hepatitis-B, influenza, tuberculosis, and other viruses, and the company's phase 2 PIKA rabies vaccine trial is expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year.

Added Mr. Zhang, "PIKA technology was designated as a 'National Key Medicine Innovation' in 2013 and funded by the National Ministry of Science and Technology of China. We are grateful to our research collaborators worldwide for their continuous support in the development of PIKA-adjuvanted vaccines over the years, including The Pasteur Institute, the US NIH, 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 the 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 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 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.

[The information contained in this press release does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government and no official endorsement should be inferred.]

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 vaccine products, with approximately 1000 employees in China, the USA and Singapore. www.yishengbio.com

SOURCE Yisheng Biopharma Co., Ltd.

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