Protherics Initiates Enrollment in Phase IIa Hypertension Study

Protherics has enrolled the first patient in a Phase IIa study of its Angiotensin therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of hypertension.

The Phase IIa, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study in 124 patients with mild to moderate hypertension has been initiated in the UK. Patients will be given a course of injections over six weeks.

The study will assess the safety and tolerability of the vaccine, incorporating Protherics’s promising novel vaccine adjuvant, CoVaccine HT. In addition both antibody response and effect on blood pressure will be assessed. The blood pressure results are expected in the first half of 2009.

Andrew Heath, CEO of Protherics, said: “A vaccine approach to the treatment of high blood pressure promises to address the issue of poor patient compliance with daily medication and thus reduce the incidence of stroke and heart attacks. With data expected within a year, this could be a major outlicensing opportunity.”