UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 26, 2003
IMMTECH INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware 8733 39-1523370
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(State or Other (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer
Jurisdiction of Identification No.)
Incorporation)
150 Fairway Drive, Suite 150, Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (847) 573-0033
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Not Applicable
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(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Item 5. Other Events.
Grant to Further Fund Human Trials of DB289
Immtech International, Inc. has received a $1,025,201 initial
payment of a $2,466,475 million research subcontract from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill ("UNC-CH") to be used to accelerate the
development of the drug candidate DB289 for the treatment of African sleeping
sickness (Trypanosomiasis). The grant funds will be used to (i) expand on-going
Phase IIb/III clinical trials of DB289 for treatment of African sleeping
sickness by adding additional clinical sites and increasing patient enrollment
in several sub-Sahara African nations, (ii) implement an improved method of
synthesizing DB289 to reduce drug manufacturing costs and (iii) improve DB289's
formulation to facilitate increased drug delivery concentration into blood
circulation.
African sleeping sickness is endemic to sub-Sahara Africa, affects
approximately 750,000 people annually and is fatal if not treated. Existing
approved drugs commonly used to treat African sleeping sickness are administered
by injection and are often toxic to the patient. DB289 is the first oral drug
candidate that has been clinically demonstrated to be effective and nontoxic to
patients. In the Phase IIa human trials, DB289 was proven to be safe and
effective, with a cure rate of approximately 95% in the patients treated for
stage one disease.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation granted $2,713,124 to UNC-CH
to fund this research subcontract. This grant is in addition to a previous $15.1
million commitment by The Gates Foundation to UNC-CH to develop a next
generation drug for treatment of Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis (a parasite
that infects humans and can cause severe liver disease). Pursuant to a prior
research subcontract with UNC-CH, Immtech is to receive $9.8 million of the
$15.1 million ($7.7 million of which has thus far been paid to Immtech) to
finance the on-going DB289 clinical trials for treatment of African sleeping
sickness. Immtech owns the exclusive, worldwide right to commercialize, and is
responsible for the clinical development of, DB289.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
IMMTECH INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Dated: June 26, 2003
By: /s/ T. Stephen Thompson
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Name: T. Stephen Thompson
Title: Chief Executive Officer and President