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January 12, 2012 - London, Ontario CANADA - Sumagen Canada Inc. has been awarded a non-refundable financial
contribution of up to $728,000 from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) to support
human clinical trials for our preventative HIV vaccine which is based on a genetically modified killed whole virus, SAV001. Sumagen
Canada received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2011 to commence Phase I clinical trials.
The HIV vaccine (SAV001) holds tremendous promise, having already proven to stimulate strong immune responses in
preliminary studies with no adverse effects or safety risks. It is the only HIV vaccine currently under development in Canada,
and one of only a few in the world.
This financial assistance from NRC-IRAP under The Canadian HIV Technology Development (CHTD) Program and the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation will assist Sumagen Canada to proceed more quickly to Phase I human clinical trials to test the
safety of its SAV001 HIV/AIDS vaccine. The CHTD Program is part of a broader Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (CHVI)
collaboration between the Government of Canada and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The SAV001 vaccine has
the potential to save millions of lives around the world by preventing HIV infection. SAV001 is a vaccine that
addresses one of the most tragic health crises affecting millions of people around the globe.
HIV/AIDS has killed more than 28 million people worldwide, and more than 35 million people currently live with the virus.
Since the virus was characterized in 1983, there have been numerous trials through pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions
around the world to develop vaccines; however, no commercialized vaccine has been developed to date. Other HIV vaccines evaluated
through human clinical trials have focused on either one specific component of HIV or recombinant viruses carrying the HIV
genes. SAV001 HIV vaccine is unique in that it uses a killed whole HIV-1, a genetically engineered vaccine.
Sumagen Co., Ltd., the parent company of Sumagen Canada, has committed substantial resources to this project since 2005
and is very pleased to have the support of NRC-IRAP and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to move forward with the project.
Sumagen is committed to continuing to grow its business in Canada and be part of the business community in London.
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About Sumagen Canada
Located in The Stiller Centre for Technology Commercialization in Western’s Research Park in London, Ontario, Sumagen Canada was
established in 2008 specifically to manage and support clinical development of SAV001 vaccine. Sumagen Canada is a subsidiary
of Sumagen Co. Ltd., a Korean-based pharmaceutical venture company.
Media contact: Doris Hall, Office Manager, Sumagen Canada Inc. 519-858-5125, doris.hall@curocom.ca
"Reproduced with permission - Sumagen Canada Inc."
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