Interview with Julianna Lisziewicz, President, Genetic Immunity
Genetic Immunity has been founded in 1998. What drove you to set up the company at that time? J.L: To understand the context better, I first need to give a…
Address: Berlini str. 47-49, H-1045Budapest,Hungary
Tel: +36 1 272 0364
Web: http://www.geneticimmunity.com/GI00.html
Genetic Immunity is a privately held US/Hungarian clinical-stage biotechnology company focusing on the discovery, development and commercialization of a new class of immunotherapeutic biologics (‘Immune Therapies’ or ‘Therapeutic Vaccines’) for the treatment of chronic viral infections, cancer and allergy. Our Immune Therapies are designed to intensify or boost specific immune responses to modify or control these presently incurable diseases. We believe that our Products will allow people to live a better and longer life.
Our proprietary Immune Therapy Platform Technology includes the plasmid DNA-based antigen design, nanomedicine formulation and topical administration targeting antigens to dendritic cells. Our technologies support the rapid and cost-effective development of original biologic Products for several indications and provide tools for the selection of an optimal treatment for every patient based on his disease and genetic background.
Our lead Product candidate for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, referred to as ‘DermaVir’, is a therapeutic HIV vaccine effective in boosting immune responses that kill HIV-infected cells. Our Phase I and Phase II clinical trials demonstrated boosting of HIV-specific T cells and specific killing of HIV-infected cells that are not eliminated by current antiretroviral drugs. DermaVir has an excellent safety profile similar to vaccines used in healthy adults and children. The goal of DermaVir immune intensification is to modify HIV disease, decrease antiretroviral drug exposure while maintaining undetectable HIV-RNA levels and achieve a remission (functional cure) in HIV-infected patients.
Our pipeline product candidate with animal proof of concept, for the treatment of Chlamydia infection, is referred to as ‘ChlamyDerm’ and our allergen-specific immunotherapy is referred to as ‘DermAll’. ChlamyDerm decreased the amount of infected cells together with infection-associated inflammation in mice experiments. DermAll decreased the allergic symptoms by balancing allergen-specific immune responses in mice experiments. Other pipeline candidates for virus-associated cancers and warts are in discovery phase.
There are four principal components that comprise our comprehensive Immune Therapy platform technology which are designed to work in conjunction to treat and/or control chronic infectious diseases, cancer and allergy, as follows:
1.Our Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API):
We have been designing (ANTIGENeering) our APIs to be specific, safe and effective. It consists of a single plasmid DNA (pDNA) immunogen ANTIGENeered to express several antigens, to contain molecular safety features and to release Virus Like Particles (VLP+) in the body of the patients. API with these crucial properties is not feasible with protein or peptide antigens.
2.Nanomedicine – our Product platform:
Our Products are referred here as the ‘nanomedicine’ according to their unique biophysical and biological features. Our APIs are formulated with our novel polymer excipient to synthetic ‘pathogen-like’ nanoparticles. The nanomedicine formulation is essential to achieve potent antigen expression from the pDNA and antigen presentation by dendritic cells. This is critical for the intensification of antigen-specific immune responses in people with chronic diseases.
3.DermaPrep – our topical administration platform:
We have developed DermaPrep medical device for targeted in vivo delivery of our nanomedicine Products to the dendritic cells of the lymph nodes via the Langerhans cells. We obtained the Marketing Approval in the European Union (CE Mark) for our DermaPrep device.
4.IT – Applied information technology:
IT innovations have been supporting the discovery, development, manufacturing, and personalized treatment processes of Genetic Immunity. These include the rational antigen design, clinical trial and data management and matching the patients with the optimal Immune Therapy Product.
Genetic Immunity has been founded in 1998. What drove you to set up the company at that time? J.L: To understand the context better, I first need to give a…
In line with its status as one of Europe’s most dynamic economies, Hungary is aiming to boost both its life sciences industry and the level of healthcare it provides to…
Hungary’s longstanding tradition of pharmacology is a major point of pride for the country’s scientists and researchers who today have hopes to elevate the country’s research environment to a region-leading…
According to Peter Holchacker, director general of Hungary’s Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (AIPM), “clinical trials initiated by multinational companies, represent, on average, an investment of approximately EUR 300 million…
Established in 1997, Medi-Radiopharma is a Hungarian privately held company operating in the field of nuclear medicine, a specialized area of radiology that uses very small amounts of radioactive materials,…
As general manager of the Hungarian affiliate of Swiss firm IBSA, Anna Wienner has proven herself to be a motivated pharma leader with particular expertise in reshaping and building organizations.…
Krisztina Kárpát, MD of Bayer Hungary, elaborates on the successful development of the affiliate in recent years, making progress in all three business units of pharma, consumer health, and crop…
Judit Bidlo, deputy director general of price support at the Hungarian National Health Insurance (NEAK), shares her insights on the healthcare system’s developments over the last three years, the rationale…
Among the efforts of Hungarian stakeholders to determine more efficient pricing and reimbursement structures, there is a common ambition to explore what is considered by many to be the next…
In 2016, Hungary transitioned from a second-tier member to a full member of the EU. As Judit Bidló, deputy director general of pricing and reimbursement for Hungary’s National Institute of…
Tamás Demeter, Country Manager for AOP Orphan shares his insights on the footprint of the company in Hungary, the areas of therapeutic need that AOP caters to, the performance of…
Katinka Zinnemers, managing director of Abacus Medicine, highlights the company’s mission to increase access to medicines for all patients and its commitment to building trust with authorities as it enters…
Csaba Kis, CEO of Qualiskills, shares his insights on the packaging capabilities of the company, its sustainable competitive advantage, the impact of the European serialization guidelines, and the company’s strategic…
See our Cookie Privacy Policy Here