OncoSec Medical Receives VBHRC Funding to Study Novel Gene Therapy Approach in Melanoma
10 November 2014 - 10:02PM
Business Wire
OncoSec Medical Inc. (OTCQB:ONCS), a company developing
DNA-based intratumoral cancer immunotherapies, along with
researchers at Old Dominion University (ODU) and Eastern Virginia
Medical School (EVMS), has received a $585,000 grant from the
Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC) to study a
novel gene therapy approach for the treatment of malignant
melanoma.
The study, titled “Biomarker-Driven Optimization of IL-12 Gene
Electrotransfer for the Treatment of Melanoma,” aims to identify
specific diagnostic markers in circulation that characterize
successful electro-transfer therapy of DNA-encoded IL-12 in
patients with melanoma.
“Right now,” stated Dr. Robert H. Pierce, Chief Scientific
Officer of OncoSec, “we have to wait to observe local and systemic
clinical tumor regressions to know if a given treatment cycle ‘has
worked’. If we had in our hands a near real-time blood-based
biomarker, which indicated the success of a treatment and its
relative strength, then we could quickly optimize and accelerate
our development. Hopefully, we can find a biomarker approach that
is generalizable – beyond IL-12 — to all of our future intratumoral
gene-electro transfer targets.”
O. John Semmes, Ph.D., Anthem Distinguished Professor for Cancer
Research and Director of the Leroy T. Canoles Jr. Cancer Research
Center, will lead a team at EVMS in identifying specific biomarkers
that indicate the presence and extent of a response to DNA IL-12
therapy. This insight will guide efforts to determine a dosing
strategy that elicits the most effective anti-tumor response with
the fewest undesirable side effects.
Dr. Semmes said, “We want to pick up an expression pattern of
proteins that will tell us a strong IL-12 response has been
generated. Once we have that, we can ask what happens when you
change the dose.”
Richard Heller, Ph.D., Reidy Center Director and
Professor/Eminent Scholar of the School of Medical Diagnostics and
Translational Sciences at Old Dominion University’s College of
Health Sciences, will serve as principal investigator for the
study. Dr. Heller is an inventor of the pIL-12 protocol being used
in the study and is recognized as a pioneer in the field of
gene-electro therapy.
“This is an excellent opportunity to move this technology
forward in a manner that will be beneficial to a larger number of
patients,” said Dr. Heller. “I am looking forward to working with
Dr. Semmes and his team at EVMS and Dr. Pierce and his team at
OncoSec on this exciting and ground breaking project.”
About Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics
The mission of the Center is to increase scientific knowledge
and understanding of the interaction of electromagnetic fields and
ionized gases with biological cells and to apply this knowledge to
the development of medical diagnostics, therapeutics, and
environmental decontamination. The objectives of the Center are to
perform leading edge interdisciplinary and multi-institutional
research, recruit top faculty and exceptional graduate students,
support regional, national and international programs, and to
increase external funding and institutional visibility.
About Leroy T. Canoles Jr. Cancer Research Center
The EVMS Leroy T. Canoles Jr. Cancer Research Center is
dedicated to translational research that leads to improved care for
the types of cancer most prevalent in our community. Clinicians and
scientists collaborate to connect the laboratory and the
physician's office. The center’s scientists seek to expand research
into new diagnostic and therapeutic tools as a means to improve
physicians’ ability to identify the best course of treatment for
each patient.
About OncoSec Medical
OncoSec Medical Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing
its investigational ImmunoPulse intratumoral cancer immunotherapy.
OncoSec Medical's core technology is designed to
enhance the local delivery and uptake of DNA IL-12 and
other DNA-based immune-targeting agents. Clinical studies of
ImmunoPulse have demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and
preliminary evidence of anti-tumor activity in the treatment of
various skin cancers, as well as the potential to initiate a
systemic immune response without the systemic toxicities associated
with other treatments. OncoSec's lead program evaluating
ImmunoPulse for the treatment of metastatic melanoma is currently
in Phase 2 development, and is being conducted in collaboration
with several prominent academic medical centers. As the company
continues to evaluate ImmunoPulse in its current indications, it is
also focused on identifying and developing new immune-targeting
agents, investigating additional tumor indications, and evaluating
combination-based immunotherapy approaches. For more information,
please visit www.oncosec.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Any statements in this release that are not historical facts
may be considered such “forward-looking statements.”
Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current
preliminary expectations and are subject to risks and
uncertainties, which may cause our results to differ materially and
adversely from the statements contained herein. Some of the
potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ from those predicted include our ability to raise
additional funding, our ability to acquire, develop or
commercialize new products, uncertainties inherent in pre-clinical
studies and clinical trials, unexpected new data, safety and
technical issues, competition, and market conditions. These and
additional risks and uncertainties are more fully described in
OncoSec Medical’s filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. OncoSec
Medical disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking
statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances
after the date they are made, or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
Investor Relations:OncoSec Medical Inc.Jordyn Kopin,
855-662-6732investors@oncosec.comorPublic Relations:Dian Griesel,
Int’l.Laura Radocaj, 212-825-3210lradocaj@dgicomm.com
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