HepaLife enters into license agreement for cell-culture flu vaccine

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., July 10 - HepaLife Technologies, Inc. has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Michigan State University for the development of new cell-culture-based flu vaccines to protect against the spread of influenza viruses among humans, including potentially the high pathogenicity H5N1 virus.

Under the agreement, HepaLife agreed to pay Michigan State undisclosed milestone payments and royalty payments based on future sales.

The license agreement gives HepaLife exclusive rights to five issued patents, including U.S. Patent No. 5,989,805 ("Immortal Avian Cell Line To Grow Avian and Animal Viruses To Produce Vaccines"), as well as to U.S. Patents 5,827,738, 5,833,980, 5,866,117 and 5,874,303.

A successful cell-culture-based avian flu vaccine has the potential to reduce production time compared to traditional vaccine production methods and should allow rapid expansion of vaccine production in the face of a pandemic, the company said in the release.

Traditional production methods use embryonated hens' eggs, which require extensive planning for the millions of eggs necessary in the case of exponentially increasing demand.

Additionally, the company highlighted certain risks associated with impurities in eggs (antibiotics and other viruses), which may cause sterility problems, and allergies against egg albumin could be avoided.

Based in Boston, HepaLife is a development-stage biotechnology company focused on the identification, development and eventual commercialization of cell-based technologies and products.

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