NEOVACS (Alternext Paris : ALNEV), a leader in active immunotherapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, today announced it will present two posters with additional data from the phase I/II clinical trial of IFNα-Kinoid in the treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)[1], or lupus, during the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)'s Annual European Congress of Rheumatology,June 11-14 in in Paris.

Data presented in Neovacs' first poster, " Potent, broad, and specific neutralizing capacities of polyclonal anti-interferon alpha antibodies induced by IFN-Kinoid in SLE patients [2]," demonstrates that polyclonal antibodies induced by immunization with IFNα-Kinoid neutralized most IFNα subtypes, produced in excess. These results further support the superiority of a polyclonal antibody strategy over monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of SLE.  Neovacs' IFNα-Kinoid is the only treatment able to induce polyclonal antibodies that effectively neutralize all subtypes of interferon-alpha present in lupus.

The Company's poster,  "Serum IFN-alpha, but not IFN-beta or IFN omega, correlates with IFN signature in SLE patients [3]," further emphasizes the role of IFNα in the development of SLE. A high IFN signature is driven by IFNα and is linked to a more active form of the disease.

 "Clinical trial results from Neovacs and other major players recently confirmed the relevance of IFNα as a target for the treatment of lupus [4]. The active immunization pathway, which Neovacs is the only company to pursue, has significant advantages over passive immunization with monoclonal antibodies, especially in chronic conditions. Specifically, active immunization has no risk of rejection or resistance, demonstrates a simplified administration regimen and is less expensive to produce. This positive data supports our current preparations for a phase IIb clinical trial of IFNα-Kinoid in SLE, which we expect to be launch in 2015," said Neovacs CEO Miguel Sieler.


[1] Bernard Lauwerys et al., Down-Regulation of Interferon Signature in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients by Active Immunization With Interferon -Kinoid, Arthritis & Rheumatism Vol. 65, No.

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