Singapore: Australian biomedical company, Allied Healthcare, achieved successful results of its initial study of a novel HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccine, being developed by investment form Coridon. The Coridon project, led by Professor Ian Frazer, is working to develop a therapeutic vaccine which has been designed to combat existing HPV infection and to prevent and treat cancer onset.

Existing HPV vaccines, Gardasil (marketed by Merck & Co) and Cervarix (marketed by GlaxoSmithKline) developed by Prof Frazer, are only effective in preventing transmission of the virus which is a common precursor to cervical cancer. The results from the preclinical study confirm the Coridon vaccine induces an immune response that can protect mice from developing cancer tumours associated with HPV infection.

Mr Lee Rodne, group managing director, Allied Healthcare, said that, "Given the wide benefits associated with professor Frazer's blockbuster vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix, we are very excited by the possibility of developing a vaccine, that can not only prevent infection, but can also stop the development of disease in people that have already been infected."

"We are developing a platform technology for prevention and treatment of diseases via next generation vaccines. These results indicate that the technology can be applied to a number of diseases," said Mr Neil Finlayson, CEO, Coridon.