co-x-genetm technology

As requested, some info about the Co-X-GeneTM Technology.

Please note this is a technology platform, and not a "one drug wonder". The technology does work and has been confirmed by Trasngene in phase II testing of their treatments.

"Co-X-GeneTM "A powerful platform technology"

The Co-X-GeneTM platform offers an innovative approach to harnessing the power of the body's own immune system. The strength of this technology lies in its ability to co-express or simultaneously release two genes inside a human cell. The first gene directs the therapy towards a particular disease while the second gene elicits a specific response from the immune system. Thus the power of Virax's Co-X-GeneTM technology is in its disease specific approach.



How does it work?



Drug Construction

A suitable disease specific antigen is identified that will focus the immune response to it.
An immune modulator (eg, cytokine or co-stimulatory protein) is chosen for its capacity to produce a desired immune response to the disease specific antigen.
Genes for the disease specific antigen and the immune modulator are inserted into a biological vaccine delivery vehicle. Virax uses fowlpox virus vectors as its delivery vehicle. Thus the drug is a viral construct or modified form of the fowlpox virus that will upon vaccination present the disease specific antigen to the immune system which in term will be instructed by the immune modulator what type of immune response it should initiate against this disease antigen. The fowlpox virus is harmless to humans - its infection is abortive in human cells and therefore, can not replicate in, cause disease in or shed virus from infected humans.
Drug Delivery

The modified fowlpox virus enters the patient's cells where it stays in the cellular cytoplasm and starts making the relevant antigens and immune modulators.
The disease specific antigens are processed by the cell so as to stimulate an immune response specific for the disease antigen, while the immune modulator leaves the cell and amplifies and directs an appropriate immune response.
The antigens have the potential to trigger both antibody and cellular immune responses.
An immune modulator such as a cytokine drives the direction of the response. VIR201 uses cytokines that encourage a stronger cellular response - enhancing the production of killer T-cells that will destroy HIV infected cells. In other treatments, different cytokines would evoke a different response.
Co-X-GeneTM Versatility

The Co-X-GeneTM concept can be tailored to treat a wide range of diseases as each component can be varied:



The vaccine vehicle

Although fowlpox virus has been chosen for use in the HIV therapeutic VIR201, other viral vectors can be used in conjunction with Co-X-GeneTM. Some viruses may only enter certain kinds of cells. These viruses could be used with Co-X-GeneTM to deliver a particular antigen and cytokine combination to that cell type alone (eg heart, brain).



The antigen

In principle any antigen can be used in the Co-X-GeneTM "recipe" to target the treatment towards a specific disease. VIR201 contains HIV antigen. This approach has been used to develop candidates for a prostate cancer treatment and a hepatitis B therapy.



The cytokine

Cytokines regulate the immune system. Different cytokines elicit different immune responses. There are two broad groups of cytokines: the first group includes gamma interferon and promotes cellular immunity, the second group promotes antibody production. In other words, certain cytokines stimulate the production of killer T-cells which are critical in seeking out and killing cells in the body that are infected with virus. Others steer the immune system to produce antibodies to fight infection in a different way. Cytokines are chosen, for inclusion in Co-X-GeneTM based therapies, according to the immune response required to treat particular diseases.

"