Tampere, Finland – Vactech Oy (Vactech), a biotechnology company focused on development of vaccines for Type 1 Diabetes and other immune mediated diseases, today announced that the risk association between coxsackieviruses and Type 1 Diabetes in different European populations has been confirmed and published in the scientific journal of the American Diabetes Association (Diabetes journal).

Publication: http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/63/2/655.long

Study setup

Enteroviruses (EVs) have been connected to type 1 diabetes in various studies. The referred study evaluated the association between specific EV subtypes and Type 1 Diabetes by measuring type-specific antibodies against the group B coxsackieviruses (CVBs), which have been linked to diabetes in previous surveys. Altogether, 249 children with newly diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes and 249 control children matched according to sampling time, sex, age, and country were recruited in Finland, Sweden, England, France, and Greece between 2001 and 2005.

Results

Antibodies against CVB1 were more frequent among diabetic children than among control children (odds ratio 1.7, 95% CI 1.0–2.9). CVB1-associated risk was not related to HLA genotype, age, or sex. Finnish children had a lower frequency of CVB antibodies than children in other countries. The results support previous studies that suggested an association between CVBs and type 1 diabetes, highlighting the possible role of CVB1 as a diabetogenic virus type.

"This study confirms the risk association between CVB1 and Type 1 Diabetes. This association was first observed in the prospective Finnish DIPP-study and this study validates CVB1 effect in an independent cohort and in different countries. This is an important second signal strengthening the scientific concept of the vaccine", said MD, Ph.D Heikki Hyöty, Chairman of the Vactech Board and Senior Adviser.

About Vactech

Vactech develops and licenses vaccines and novel technologies for vaccines and diagnostics with a pipeline of early stage product candidates focused on Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac Disease, Asthma & Allergy and diagnostics.

Vactech’s flagship project is a patented enterovirus based preventive Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) vaccine, similar to the widely used enterovirus vaccine against polio. The vaccine is a traditional inactivated vaccine and it has been proved to be safe and effective in mice. In addition, Vactech’s IMAVAC™ product line uses Virus Like Particle (VLP) technology which is essential for other vaccines, immunomodulators and diagnostic applications.

Vactech is a privately owned company. We have a track record of collaboration with big pharma on the level of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). We consider ourselves as an attractive investment target for those that believe in and want to grow with our mission.

For more information contact:

Please see the company's website at www.vactech.fi for additional information or contact:

Raimo Harju, CEO

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