BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Nabi (Nasdaq: NABI - news) announced the presentation of results from pre-clinical studies on Nabi® NicVAX(TM), nicotine conjugate vaccine, at the Sixth Annual Meeting Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco

The results of these studies demonstrated that nicotine-specific antibodies, induced by the NicVAX vaccine, were able to attenuate the induction of nicotine dependence in rats even when the rats were exposed, over a seven day period, to an amount of nicotine equivalent on a mg/kg basis to that absorbed from 1,400 cigarettes smoked. These results raise the possibility that immunization with NicVAX might be useful for preventing the initial acquisition of nicotine dependence or its reacquisition after a period of smoking cessation. Vaccination with the NicVAX vaccine has previously been shown to generate high titers of nicotine-specific antibodies in experimental animals, prevent nicotine-induced blood pressure increases, attenuate the hyperactivity induced in rats in response to nicotine injections, and reduce nicotine levels in the brains of rats by 64% compared to controls (See Nabi Press Release dated Dec. 17, 1999). In a separate pre-clinical study of the Nabi NicVAX vaccine reported at the SRNT meeting by Dr. Paul Pentel and his colleagues at the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation and the University of Minnesota, MN and by Nabi researchers, it was shown that ongoing nicotine exposure does not interfere with the ability of NicVAX to elicit high titers of nicotine-specific antibodies in rats. These results suggest that it may be possible to vaccinate smokers while they are still using tobacco so that adequate antibody titers are present at the time of planned smoking cessation. ``The results obtained thus far with Nabi NicVAX in these animal models continue to be very exciting,'' declared Dr. Robert Naso, Nabi Senior Vice President. ``We are currently evaluating NicVAX in toxicity studies leading to clinical trials. If similar effects can be achieved in humans in clinical trials, we may be able to use the vaccine to prevent nicotine addiction or to help addicted tobacco smokers break their nicotine habits and quit smoking.'' Nabi, a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company, has a broad product portfolio and significant R&D capabilities focused on the development and commercialization of drugs that prevent and treat infectious and autoimmune diseases. Nabi currently has several clinical trials underway in these areas and has four marketed pharmaceutical products. Additional information may be obtained on the Company's website at: www.nabi.com . This press release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events. While these statements reflect the Company's best current judgment, they are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ significantly from the results projected herein due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the impact on the Company of current industry supply and demand factors and the supply of and demand for the Company's individual products; margin pressure on the Company's non-specific antibody product line; future sales growth prospects for its pharmaceutical products; the likelihood that any product in the research pipeline can receive regulatory approval in the U.S. or abroad or be successfully developed, manufactured and marketed; failure to receive licensure for the Boca Raton manufacturing facility; and dependence upon third parties to manufacture product. These factors are more fully discussed in the Company's most recent Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Nabi provided funding support for the work reported in this press release.

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