Profectus BioSciences, Inc. is a technology based vaccine company devoted to the treatment and prevention of chronic viral diseases.  Since its inception in 2003, the Company’s strategic intent has been to acquire the technologies needed to deliver on that mission within high value markets.  The foundation of the Company’s approach is the premise that effective management of inflammation and immunity can dramatically improve clinical outcomes.  Recently, the Company in-licensed a group of vaccine-based technologies that greatly accelerate its ability to deliver products using two principle approaches:

Therapeutic vaccination – The recently completed in-licensing of assets from Wyeth Vaccines brought the Company two mature, heavily funded, and patent-protected vaccine programs that enable a potent “prime-boost” therapeutic vaccine strategy. This strategy uses the delivery of a best in class plasmid DNA (pDNA) vaccine to “prime” the immune system, followed by a first in class “boost” using a recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (rVSV) vector.   Unlike earlier pDNA vaccines, the immunogenicity of the Profectus pDNA vaccine platform is substantially enhanced by incorporation of the molecular adjuvants such as interleukin-12 (IL-12) and delivery via electroporation, and formulated with bupivicaine, a stabilizing and transfection enhancing agent.  The boost component consists of a VSV vector platform, originally developed at Yale University by Dr. John Rose and colleagues, which has been re-engineered to generate a vector that is safe and highly immunogenic.  Both vaccine platforms are scaled, clinical trials materials are being released, and both have demonstrated robust immunogenicity and safety in non-human primates (NHPs).  When used sequentially, pDNA priming followed by rVSV boosting provides a powerful and practical approach to the development of vaccines to treat chronic viral diseases and other targets of opportunity.  Current targets include Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Immunotherapeutics – Substantial scientific evidence supports the conclusion that the sustained immune activation characteristic of many chronic viral infections contributes significantly to clinical disease.  Since the early 1990’s, Drs. Robert Gallo and Robert Redfield have worked to identify the molecular circuitry responsible for maintaining the activated state of immune cells in the presence of this type of chronic insult.   Among the drug targets identified in these studies is the NF-kB signaling cascade, which is activated by many viruses, including HIV, HCV, HSV, HBV, and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV).   Importantly, this signaling pathway is also considered an important target in the treatment of inflammatory disorders and a variety of cancers.  Profectus has undertaken a multi-pronged approach to identifying small molecule inhibitors of NFkB.  The ultimate goal of this program is inhibition of p65 signaling, which activates many genes associated with the immune system.  Several chemotypes are currently being advanced through medicinal chemistry.  If successful, these compounds will position the Company to develop immunotherapeutic products for a variety of indications, either alone or with interested corporate partners.