AZUSA, Calif., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Coinciding with the recent appointment of Dr. Eric Rosenberg, Viral Genetics (OTC Bulletin Board: VRAL) has added two top Harvard Medical School immunology and virology specialists to its Scientific Advisory Board. The appointments of Drs. Marcus Altfeld and Todd M. Allen will help Viral Genetics develop VGV-1 as a potential immune- based therapy for HIV/AIDS.
"The apparent beneficial immunological effects of VGV-1 in a recent clinical trial have opened the door for additional study and development of VGV-1 as an immune-based therapy. I am pleased that my colleagues Drs. Altfeld and Allen will be joining me in advising Viral Genetics on this exciting development," said Dr. Eric S. Rosenberg, Chairman of Viral Genetics' Scientific Advisory Board.
"Our new U.S. development focus requires the guidance of U.S. specialists, and we are pleased that Drs. Marcus Altfeld and Todd Allen, leaders in virology, immunology, and the development of HIV-1 vaccine strategies, will be helping us develop VGV-1 to treat immunological diseases and hopefully help a wide range of patients," said Haig Keledjian, president and chief executive officer of Viral Genetics.
Dr. Marcus Altfeld, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, focuses on the study of immune responses to HIV-1. In particular, Dr. Altfeld studies how the CD8 T cell responses that are specific to HIV-1 infection are impaired in early infection. He received his MD and PhD from the University of Cologne, Germany and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Partners AIDS Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he is now an assistant immunologist. Dr. Altfeld is also associate director of the Center for AIDS Research at Harvard Medical School.
As an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Todd M. Allen's research is focused on HIV-1 and Hepatitis-C. His work in HIV-1 is oriented around understanding HIV-1's ability to mutate and evade the cellular immune response and the impact of this on the inability of the immune system to clear the virus from the body. Dr. Allen received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Partners AIDS Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also a faculty member of the Harvard Program in Virology.
About VGV-1
VGV-1 is a therapy based on thymus nuclear protein which is extracted from bovine thymus tissue. As a type of immune-based therapy, it focuses on boosting the immune system to allow the body to fight HIV more efficiently. Discovered and developed by both Drs. Harry Zhabilov Sr. and Jr., thymus nuclear protein technology has been studied in five human clinical trials for the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS.
About Viral Genetics
Viral Genetics, Inc. is a biotechnology company that discovers and develops immune-based therapies for HIV and AIDS using its thymus nuclear protein compound. This compound may have other potential applications for other infectious, autoimmune, and immunological deficiency diseases that the company intends to study in the future. Viral Genetics believes that VGV-1 represents a significant and unique approach to treating HIV due to the apparently novel mechanism, low toxicity profile, simple dosing regimen, and short-course of treatment. Online at www.viralgenetics.com
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This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties associated with clinical development, regulatory approvals, and other risks described by Viral Genetics, Inc. from time to time in its periodic reports filed with the SEC. VGV-1 is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration or by any comparable regulatory agencies elsewhere in the world. While Viral Genetics believes that the forward-looking statements and underlying assumptions contained therein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, including, but not limited to, the ability of Viral Genetics to establish the efficacy of VGV-1 in the treatment of any disease or health condition and the development of studies and strategies leading to commercialization of VGV-1 in the United States. Therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Viral Genetics or any other person that the objectives and plans of Viral Genetics will be achieved.
SOURCE Viral Genetics, Inc.