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BioDiem Ltd
ABN 20 096 845 993
Phone: +61 3 9613 4100 Fax: +61 3 9613 4111
Level 10, South Tower, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne Victoria 3000
Email: [email protected] Web: www.biodiem.com
ASX Announcement
Date: 29 February 2008
Target market expands for BioDiem’s Flu vaccine
Melbourne: 29 February 2008. Australian biopharmaceutical development company
BioDiem Ltd (ASX:BDM) commented today on new recommendations from the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP) to expand the recommended ages for annual influenza
vaccination to include all children from 6 months to 18 years of age in the United States.
The previous recommendation was for vaccination of children from six (6) months to 59
months of age.
BioDiem’s CEO Dr Andrew O’Brien said, “This recommendation will increase the number
of school children targeted for seasonal flu shots by 30 million in the world’s biggest
pharmaceutical market. This is a meaningful change in potential market size for
BioDiem’s live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) given our vaccines’ advantages in
this market segment over existing inactivated flu vaccines. Furthermore, this should
increase the attractiveness of the North American Sales & Marketing rights for LAIV to a
potential partner.”
Clinical studies conducted by the Institute of Experimental Medicine in St. Petersburg,
Russia, indicate that LAIV provides superior protection against influenza when compared
to an inactivated flu vaccine in children. Furthermore, these studies showed that
vaccination with LAIV can provide a ‘herd immunity’ whereby the spread of influenza is
reduced in schools where the majority of the school population has been vaccinated with
LAIV.
The CDC commented that studies have shown that healthy children bear a significant
burden from influenza disease and are at increased risk of needing influenza-related
medical care. In addition, there is evidence showing that reducing influenza
transmission among children has the potential to reduce influenza among their
household contacts and within the community.
Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory
Diseases said “this new recommendation will help parents understand that all children
can benefit from vaccination and further encourages providers to start vaccination of
children through age 18 next year”.
About BioDiem’s Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine
�� BioDiem has licensed the majority of the LAIV rights to Nobilon, a subsidiary
company of Schering-Plough for US$8 million in milestone payments and royalties on
product sales
�� Nobilon has the responsibility for developing the flu vaccine for registration in Europe.
The product is currently in non-clinical development
�� BioDiem retains the Sales and Marketing rights to North America, subject to an
option Nobilon has to these rights under certain terms, if no other partner is licensed
by BioDiem 2 years after the commencement of Phase III clinical trials
�� Japanese Sales and Marketing rights are shared between BioDiem and Nobilon
About BioDiem Ltd
BioDiem is an Australian listed company, based in Melbourne, with an international focus
on finding, adding value to and commercialising world-class research for vaccines,
infectious diseases and other therapeutic areas. The company takes a cost-efficient
approach to drug development by project managing a portfolio of new products through
collaborations with academic centres of excellence, contract research organizations and
partnerships with international pharmaceutical companies.
For additional information, please visit www.biodiem.com
Further information
Andrew P. O’Brien, Ph.D.
CEO & Managing Director
BioDiem Ltd
Ph: +61 3 9613 4100
Mob: +61 438 550 893