TapImmune provides update on PolyStart vaccine platform applicable to cancer and infectious disease

While the current focus of the Company’s PolyStart technology is on TapImmune’s cancer program (e.g., Her2/neu and folate receptor alpha antigens), the Company none-the-less strongly reaffirms that this core technology has widespread applicability in the development of vaccines for viral disease.

The use of the Company’s PolyStart technology increases the production of proprietary antigenic peptides of the vaccine by as much as FOUR-fold, thereby increasing vaccine potency (presenting more antigen), and potentially making manufacturing and commercialization of large volume vaccines more cost effective.

While additional preclinical development is in progress, we fundamentally believe that our technology will have a significant impact in the development of vaccines for both cancer and emerging viral-disease (e.g., Ebola, Enterovirus etc).

Successful proof-of-concept studies conducted in collaboration with Mayo Clinic clearly demonstrated that human cells containing a PolyStart construct containing vaccinia virus ("smallpox") antigens (antigenic peptides) could naturally express, process and present these antigens on the cell surface and that cell surface presentation occurred in a manner recognizable by immune system cells (e.g., CD8+ killer T-cells). Importantly, CD8+ T-cells recognizing a PolyStart-encoded antigenic peptide on the cell surface will destroy that cell.

In addition, T-cells recognizing the antigenic peptide are stimulated to expand in number, thereby providing a strong longer-lived capacity to destroy many more cells infected with the virus.

TapImmune is actively seeking partnerships and collaborations for development of PolyStart for the treatment of emerging viral threats.