GenVec Receives Notice of Allowance for Patent Application Providing Broad Protection of Its Gorilla Adenovectors

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- GenVec, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNVC), a clinical-stage gene delivery company, announced today that it received a notice of allowance for its patent application entitled "Affenadenovirus (Gorilla) or Adenoviral Vectors and Methods of Use" from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The allowed claims cover composition of matter for the company's proprietary adenovectors isolated from mountain gorillas, including potential adjustments and additions that may be introduced to engineer these vectors for optimal suitability and performance in a variety of therapeutic and vaccine applications.  One key advantage of our approach is that most people do not have pre-existing immunity to gorilla vectors. Such pre-existing immunity can interfere with vectors derived from more commonly encountered viruses and viral serotypes.

"This patent is an important addition to the extensive portfolio covering GenVec's AdenoVerse technology platform," said Douglas J. Swirsky, the company's president and CEO. "We already have multiple collaborators working with our gorilla vectors and are actively pursuing additional partnerships on a variety of fronts to put our powerful delivery tools to work in gene-based medicines and vaccines."

"Our data suggest these gorilla vectors outperform other adenovectors including those derived from serotype 5, or Ad5, when used for molecular vaccines," said Douglas E. Brough, the company's chief scientific officer. "High and durable antibody and T cell responses to encoded antigens from a single administration have been observed in our preclinical studies. GenVec's gorilla vectors are showing promise in other gene therapy and nucleic acid delivery applications as well."

GenVec recently presented data from studies using its gorilla adenovectors at the Vaccines R&D-2015 conference. A press release describing the presentation can be found at http://ir.genvec.com/press-releases/detail/1794/genvec-highlights-gorilla-adenovectors-at-vaccines-rd-2015. The slides from the presentation are available online under the Presentations tab in the Investors & Media section at www.genvec.com. 

About GenVec

GenVec is a clinical-stage gene delivery company focused on developing a pipeline of cutting-edge therapeutics and vaccines using its proprietary AdenoVerse platform. The company is a pioneer in the design, testing and manufacture of adenoviral-based product candidates that can deliver on the promise of gene-based medicine. GenVec's lead product candidate, CGF166, is licensed to Novartis and is currently in a Phase 1/2 clinical study for the treatment of hearing loss and balance disorders. In addition to its internal and partnered pipeline, the company is also focused on opportunities to license its proprietary technology platform, including vectors and production cell lines, for the development and manufacture of therapeutics and vaccines to the biopharmaceutical industry. 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 with respect to GenVec's hearing loss and balance disorders program 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, such as the failure of Novartis to advance GenVec's hearing loss and balance disorders program.  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.

Contact:
Dian Griesel Int'l.
Media: Susan Forman
Investors: Cheryl Schneider
Telephone: (212) 825-3210
Email:  [email protected]

SOURCE GenVec, Inc.

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http://www.genvec.com