GenVec Announces Grant for HSV-2 Vaccine Program

GenVec, Inc. (Nasdaq:GNVC) announced today that it has received a Phase I Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support the Company’s efforts to develop novel adenovector-based vaccines for HSV-2, the virus responsible for most cases of genital herpes. The SBIR grant, valued at $600,000 over 2 years, will support work being conducted at GenVec, the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington by Drs. Lawrence Corey, Greg Mahairas, and David Koelle. Work under the grant will focus on testing adenovirus vectors containing novel HSV-2 antigens. These vaccine candidates will be evaluated for their ability to generate the type of immune responses, CD8 T-cell responses, in mice and nonhuman primates that are expected to lead to protection. "HSV-2 continues to be a worldwide medical problem, which also contributes to the spread of HIV,” said Dr. Rick King, GenVec’s Senior Vice President of Research and Development. "There is considerable laboratory and clinical evidence that suggests that host T-cell immune responses are critical both in influencing the spread of and the severity of HSV-2 infection. GenVec’s adenovector technology is ideally suited for vaccine strategies that induce strong T-cell mediated immune responses. We are extremely pleased that this grant gives us the opportunity to work with the premier investigators in the development of HSV-2 vaccines.” About GenVec GenVec, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutic drugs and vaccines. GenVec’s lead product, TNFerade™ is currently in a pivotal clinical study (PACT) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Additional clinical trials are in progress in rectal cancer, head and neck cancer and melanoma. GenVec also uses its proprietary adenovector technology to develop vaccines for infectious diseases including HIV, malaria, foot-and-mouth disease, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza. Additional information about GenVec is available at www.genvec.com and in the company’s various filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements herein relating to future financial or business performance, conditions or strategies and other financial and business matters, including expectations regarding future revenues and operating expenses, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. GenVec cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or historical experience include risks and uncertainties, including the failure by GenVec to secure and maintain relationships with collaborators; risks relating to the early stage of GenVec’s product candidates under development; uncertainties relating to clinical trials; risks relating to the commercialization, if any, of GenVec’s proposed product candidates; dependence on the efforts of third parties; dependence on intellectual property; and risks that we may lack the financial resources and access to capital to fund our operations. Further information on the factors and risks that could affect GenVec’s business, financial conditions and results of operations, are contained in GenVec’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available at www.sec.gov. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and GenVec assumes no duty to update forward-looking statements.