Sinobiomed to Continue Malaria Vaccine Trial in Thailand

Sinobiomed Inc. (SOBM.OB) will begin a Phase II clinical trial of its malaria vaccine candidate, PfCP2.9, in Thailand in Q3 2008. Thailand is currently experiencing a malaria epidemic, which is why the trial is sited there.

In its Phase I trial, which was completed in 2004, PfCP2.9 generated a strong immune response with only mild side effects. In January 2008, Sinobiomed was awarded a 9 million RMB ($1.2 million) government grant for PfCP2.9 as part of China’s 863 Program that encourages technologically innovative products.

Two-thirds of the money will be used to underwrite the costs of the clinical trial; the other one-third will support development of a multistage, multivalent vaccine, based on PfCP2.9. The current form of the vaccine targets the most deadly malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) at its most destructive stage – rapid replication in human red blood cells. The goal of the multivalent vaccine is to improve immunogenicity and extend the immune period.

The PcFP2.9 vaccine was developed by SMMU. Sinobiomed’s China subsidiary, Shanghai Wanxing, has exclusive rights to market the product, if it is approved.

The Phase II trial of the malaria vaccine will be conducted by Sinobiomed in collaboration with Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. The study site is located in Thailand's Ratchaburi Province, approximately 200 km from Bangkok near the Myanmar border.

Disclosure: none.

Comments

[DaveW:]

Malaria is one of our foremost world health problems today, no doubt about it's global-economic impact. However, CAVEAT EMPTOR here folks: no biopharma company has ever, or will ever, make a profit from a tropical disease drug or vaccine. Think about it. A final product vaccine would have to be distributed world-wide, reaching all equitorial and sub-equitorial populations. These same populations reside in countries that are desperately poor and cannot afford expensive drugs and the infrastructure to distribute them. Therefore, the biopharmas who persue tropical disease cures know going in that they will have to dramatically cut the price of their product and write it off as a philanthropic donation for tax benefit. I wholeheartedly believe this is what they in fact should do to help put an end to world suffering. But, as an investor, this is a dead-end deal. If you are looking for small-/micro-cap biopharma potential, look for companies entering clinical trials with an: #1 Alzheimer's drug, #2 Obesity drug, #3 Cancer drug, etc. Afflictions affecting developed countries are the ONLY products you as an investor should consider putting your money in to.

D. Weston Ph.D.
Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases

2008 May 18 11:15 AM

[devassocx:]

Dr. Weston...Thanks for your observations. You make a very good
point.

2008 May 19 01:50 PM