ZUG, Switzerland, April 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Swiss company AmVac AG, a biopharmaceutical company located in Zug, has been granted a European patent (EP 1851 239 B1) for its Sendai platform technology for its subsidiary company AmVac Research GmbH. Thus, the novel technology for producing vaccines that has been developed at the research site in Martinsried near Munich, Germany, is completely covered by the granted patent. The patent was granted effective of January 21, 2009 in 29 EPC (European Patent Convention) countries. A communication was issued by the European Patent Office that no opposition has been filed against said patent within the statutory nine months term for doing so.

The patent for the Sendai platform technology broadly covers its use for any recombinant, replication deficient negative-strand RNA virus with a mutation in the so-called P-gene. This broad protection covers all development activities in relation to the Sendai platform technology for developing vaccines against a number of infectious diseases.

This technology, which has been developed by Prof. Wolfgang Neubert's group at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, is to be used for numerous indications in the future. AmVac Research GmbH is concentrating on providing protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the development of its first vaccine. This viral pathogen causes serious airway diseases which can lead to loss of function of the mucous membranes in the respiratory tract. Young children, the elderly, and individuals with a weakened immune system are particularly affected by this flu-like viral disease.

AmVac AG has filed the entire patent family beyond the borders of the EU in the other countries Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong-Kong, Eurasia, Israel, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Singapore, The United States, and South Africa. AmVac AG has already been successful in Mexico and South Africa. Both countries have granted patents with the same scope of protection as in Europe.

AmVac AG

AmVac AG is a biopharmaceutical company situated in Switzerland. The company focuses on the vaccine market with its above-average growth figures. There are two therapeutic vaccines in the pipeline, which are soon to be launched in the fields of gynaecology and urology. Further innovative vaccines and technologies are at the development stage. The renowned market research company Frost Sullivan awarded AmVac AG the coveted prize Enabling Technology of the Year Award in 2007.

Contact:

Ariane Meynert, Head of PR/IR; Mail: meynert@amvac.ch Tel.: +41-41-725-3234, Cell: +41-79-79-334-19

SOURCE: AmVac AG

CONTACT: Contact: Ariane Meynert, Head of PR/IR; Mail: meynert@amvac.chTel.: +41-41-725-3234 Cell: +41-79-79-334-19