Additional data are expected to be released at the end of 2016.
If successful, Admedus believes it could tap into a market it estimates to be worth more than US$6 billion.
Infection with the herpes simplex virus, commonly known as herpes, can be due to either herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Both infections are lifelong and are at present incurable.
While mostly asymptomatic, some herpes patients experience mild symptoms or painful blisters or ulcers.
By contrast to HSV-1, which is mainly transmitted by oral to oral contact, HSV-2 is almost exclusively passed on through sexual activity, and blisters and ulcers occur in the genital or anal area (genital herpes).
The presence of HSV-2 increases the risk of acquiring HIV, and HIV/HSV-2 infected people are more likely to spread HIV to others. In addtion, HSV-2 can lead to serious complications in advanced HIV disease.
According to the World Health Organisation, around 400 million people were living with HSV-2 in 2012, with almost twice as many women infected than men. Most of the known infections occur in Africa (31% in 2012).
The HSV-2 virus is one of two main immunotherapeutic targets of Admedus Immunotherapies, the other being the cancer causing Human Papillomavirus. The company was founded in 2000, then named Coridon, by Gardasil co-inventor Professor Ian Frazer to develop prophylactic and therapeutic DNA vaccines that enhance a patient's (cellular) immune response to infectious diseases and cancers.
If successful, the DNA vaccine will give rise to antibodies that neutralise viruses like conventional vaccines. In addition, though, the DNA vaccine is expected to alert so called killer T-cells (cytotoxic T-cells) to eliminate virus infected cells.
Admedus Immunotherapies is still a private unlisted company using technology licensed by the University of Queensland's commercial arm UniQuest, which already was involved in the commercialisation of the cervical cancer vaccine technology.But its name change from originally Coridon to first Admedus Vaccines and then recently Admedus Immunotherapies reflects that it is now majority owned by Ademdus Limited, a company with a coloured history in the Australian biotech market.
In 2008, former Allied Medical, a spin-out of Fortescue Metals Group, entered a partnership with Coridon. Allied was at the time still an unlisted company, but then it merged with bioMD Ltd in 2011 to form Allied Healthcare Group Ltd.
At the end of 2013, Allied rebranded as Ademedus Ltd, and increased its interest in Coridon to 72.2%.