Enzo reports long-term retention of antisense RNA in HIV study

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., Aug. 15 - Enzo Biochem, Inc. said the results of long-term follow-up studies of its StealthVector HGTV43 gene medicine are "significant" and "perhaps unique."

The data showed that HIV-1 infected subjects treated with the proprietary retrovirus-based vector showed long-term presence of the engineered CD34+ stem cells as well as a long-term presence of engineered CD4+ immune cells in circulation, according to a news release.

There were no treatment-related adverse events during the study, nor any evidence of leukemia seen by standard hematology, the release said.

Antisense RNA was present in all five subjects available at 12 months post-treatment. At the 48th month, four subjects were available and antisense RNA was present in three of the four.

At month 60, antisense RNA was present in one of the three previously positive subjects, and in addition, anti-HIV-1 antisense RNA was found in CD34+ bone marrow cells in all subjects tested.

The results are a significant and perhaps unique example of the survival of engineered CD34+ stem cells in nonablated adult human subjects, researchers noted.

That these engineered cells have produced progeny CD4+ immune cells is evidenced by the presence of antisense RNA in these cells in circulation, the researchers added.

Enzo Biochem is sponsoring a phase 1/ 2 study at the University of California San Francisco to continue the clinical evaluation of StealthVector HGTV43 gene construct for HIV-1 infection.

New York-based Enzo develops health care products based on molecular biology and genetic engineering techniques.

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