Last checked at 21 Aug 2014 07:00
For immediate release 07.00: 21 August 2014
RETROSCREEN VIROLOGY GROUP PLC
("Retroscreen" or the "Company")
RETROSCREEN Announces results from hVIVO viral challenge study on respiratory syncytial virus
Retroscreen Virology Group plc (AIM: RVG), which is pioneering its hVIVO platform of human models of disease, announces the publication of a research paper in The New England Journal of Medicine ("NEJM") of an important human viral challenge study of GS-5806, a small molecule antiviral, in Respiratory Syncytial Virus ("RSV") infection that was conducted by Retroscreen on behalf of Gilead Sciences, Inc. This paper is considered to be another major endorsement of the clinical utility of the Company's hVIVO platform in rapidly establishing proof of concept and dose selection for investigational new drugs early on in their development lifecycle.
The scientific paper titled "Oral GS-5806 Activity in a Respiratory Syncytial Virus Challenge Study" was published today in NEJM. The paper was authored by John DeVincenzo, a Professor at University of Tennessee Health Science Centre, along with co-authors including Dr Rob Lambkin-Williams from Retroscreen. It describes a double-blind, placebo-controlled human viral challenge study which was designed to establish proof of concept for GS-5806 treatment in 140 healthy adult subjects experimentally infected with RSV. RSV is a common cause of infant hospitalisations and is increasingly recognised as a cause of considerable morbidity and mortality. No accepted antiviral treatment exists. The study was conducted by Retroscreen at its purpose built, state-of-the-art clinical quarantine unit in London over a 10 month period starting in late 2012. The paper concluded that "Treatment with GS-5806 reduced the viral load and the severity of clinical disease in a challenge study of healthy adults".
Kym Denny, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Retroscreen is pioneering the use of its hVIVO platform of human models of disease in biomarker discovery and the clinical research of new therapies. We are delighted that this important study demonstrated proof of concept for Gilead's GS-5806 antiviral product for RSV infection in only 10 months."
More details on the published paper can be found at (N Engl J Med 2014; 371:711-22) www.nejm.org.
For further information please contact:
Retroscreen Virology Group plc +44 207 756 1300
Kym Denny (CEO)
Graham Yeatman (FD)
Media Enquiries +44 203 021 3933 / +44 7854 979 420
Colin Paterson (Director of Marketing, Communication and Public Relations)
Numis Securities Limited +44 207 260 1000
Michael Meade / Freddie Barnfield (Nominated Adviser)
James Black / Michael Burke (Corporate Broking)
Notes to Editors:
Retroscreen Virology Group plc ("Retroscreen") is a rapidly growing life sciences company based in the UK pioneering a technology platform called hVIVO which uses human models of disease involving healthy volunteers to discover and study new drugs and diagnostics. To date, Retroscreen has conducted over 35 clinical studies, involving more than 1800 volunteers for a range of leading industry, governmental and academic clients.