Back to the Future: Study Published in Vaccine Journal Indicates BiondVax's Universal Flu Vaccine Candidate May Cover Strains Which Don't yet Exist

NESS ZIONA, Israel, January 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV, TASE: BVXV), developer of the Universal Flu Vaccine candidate M-001, reports the publication this week of an article titled, "Back to the future: Immunization with M-001 prior to trivalent influenza vaccine in 2011/12 enhanced protective immune responses against 2014/15 epidemic strain" in the prestigious peer-reviewed scientific journal Vaccine.

The Vaccine article reports that blood plasma samples from people who received M-001 in 2011 (as part of BiondVax's BVX-005 clinical trial in the elderly) showed significantly increased protective antibodies against the new epidemic 2014/15 flu strain (A/Swiss) - a strain which did not exist when M-001 was administered to the BVX-005 participants.

Despite the $4.3 billion market^[1], current flu vaccines have many shortcomings including that they are specific to just 3 or 4 existing flu strains, and must be reformulated each year. Furthermore, seasonal flu vaccine effectiveness is only about 40% on average^[2], and as low as 9% in the elderly^[3] who are the most at risk group. Conversely, as a universal flu vaccine candidate, M-001 is designed to provide improved and broad protection against all current and future seasonal and pandemic flu strains.

The study reported in Vaccine offers evidence of the broadening protective effects offered by M-001, a significant advantage over current flu vaccines.

Dr. Tamar Ben-Yedidia, BiondVax's Chief Scientist and co-inventor of M-001, commented, "We consider this study to provide validation of M-001's potential. It is a promising indication that our vaccine may provide improved protection against future flu strains, including potentially pandemic strains that don't yet exist!"

The article also discusses M-001's mechanism of action. It is available online at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X1631297X.

About BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd 

Forward Looking Statements 

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expect," "believe," "intend," "plan," "continue," "may," "will," "anticipate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties reflect the management's current views with respect to certain current and future events and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the results to differ materially from those expected by the management of BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that drug development involves a lengthy and expensive process with uncertain outcome,general business conditions in the industry, changes in regulatory and legal compliance environments in which BiondVax engages,the adequacy of available cash resources to fund product development and commercialization and the ability to raise capital when needed. The risks, uncertainties and assumptions referred to above are discussed in detail in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report for the year ended December 31, 2015 on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2016. BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

1. EvaluatePharma: Quoted by Edison Research http://www.edisoninvestmentresearch.com/research/report/biondvax-pharmaceuticals/preview/ [accessed 12 January 2017].

2. CDC: Seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness, 2005-2016. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/effectiveness-studies.htm [accessed 11 January 2017].

3. CDC: Interim adjusted estimates of seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness - United States, February 2013. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6207a2.htm [accessed 11 January 2017].

BiondVax is a clinical phase biopharmaceutical company developing a universal flu vaccine. The vaccine is designed to provide multi-season protection against most seasonal and pandemic human influenza virus strains. BiondVax's proprietary technology utilizes a unique combination of conserved and common peptides from influenza virus proteins, activating both arms of the immune system for a cross-protecting and long-lasting effect. BiondVax is traded on NASDAQ: BVXV and TASE: BVXV. Please visit http://www.biondvax.com.

For further information, please contact:
Joshua E Phillipson
Business Development
+972-8-930-2529 x5105
j.phillipson@biondvax.com    

Kenny Green
Investor Relations
+1-646-201-9246
kenny@biondvax.com

SOURCE BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd.