adenovirus

GAITHERSBURG, MD – November 19, 2008 – GenVec, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNVC) announced today top-line results of an interim analysis from its ongoing Phase III Pancreatic Cancer Clinical Trial with TNFerade™ (PACT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. This interim analysis of overall survival, conducted after the 92nd death (one-third of total expected events), was designed to determine whether the study should continue and took place in the time frame originally estimated.

Introduction:

Adenoviruses were first developed as expression vectors by Dr. Frank Graham and his colleagues at McMaster University. Microbix collaborates extensively with Dr. Graham, who provides access to the leading edge of Ad vector production technology and vector design. They have developed recombinant adenoviruses for gene delivery and vaccine purposes for many years, and benefit from access to technologies such as Dr. Graham's popular AdMax™ Cre-lox/FLP-frt based system for rapid, high-efficiency Ad vector construction

Molecular Biology of the Adenovirus

The wild type Adenovirus is a non-enveloped virus comprising a double stranded linear 36 kb genome packaged into an icosahedral protein capsid, of approximately 90-100 nm. Each viral particle has a fiber protein that protrudes from the vertex of the icosahedron, which is attached to a knob region that mediates cell entry. The genome is flanked by two inverted terminal repeat regions of DNA (ITR) and each 5’ end is attached to a 55 kDa terminal protein (TP).