CytoDyn's PRO 140 Monotherapy Shows Complete HIV Viral-Load Suppression

CytoDyn Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of new therapies for combating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, announced that its ongoing extension study of PRO 140 monotherapy in HIV-infected patients has shown complete viral-load suppression for nearly 11 months. The company believes that complete virologic suppression through treatment with a single agent, rather than through the widely used HAART combination therapy, could present a significant opportunity to treat HIV infection.

"I am very excited to contribute to the PRO 140 development effort at CytoDyn" said Paul J. Maddon, M.D., Ph.D. "PRO 140 is a potent and well-tolerated antiviral agent that may play an important role in the treatment of HIV infection."

Paul J. Maddon, M.D., Ph.D., a biotechnology entrepreneur and an inventor of PRO 140, has been named Senior Science Advisor to CytoDyn. In this capacity, Dr. Maddon will advise CytoDyn on the development program for PRO 140. Dr. Maddon is the founder and Vice Chairman of Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and also serves as a director and consultant to several biotechnology and specialty pharmaceutical companies. He previously served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Science Officer of Progenics.

Dr. Maddon is a molecular virologist and immunologist who has made major contributions to our understanding of HIV entry and infection. As a graduate student at Columbia University, he isolated the gene encoding CD4 and demonstrated that CD4 serves as the primary receptor for entry of HIV into immune system cells.

While at Progenics, Dr. Maddon and his collaborators discovered that a second receptor, CCR5, is also required for HIV entry. He led the discovery and development of PRO 140, a humanized monoclonal antibody to CCR5 designed to treat HIV infection.

Dr. Maddon has served on the editorial board of Journal of Virology and chaired and served on numerous scientific advisory committees of the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense. He has also received several honors and has been awarded many federal research grants and contracts. At Columbia University, he received a B.A. from the College, an M.D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

"We are delighted that Dr. Paul Maddon, an inventor of PRO 140 and distinguished scientist, will play a more active role in guiding CytoDyn through our current Phase Three program in combination therapy, as well as our monotherapy discussions with the FDA," said Dr. Nader Pourhassan, President and CEO. "We are confident that Dr. Maddon can add significant value to the PRO 140 program, helping us to optimize and accelerate its commercial development."