Scancell Holdings Plc Scancell to collaborate with BioNTech (1654B)
09 January 2018 - 6:00PM
UK Regulatory
TIDMSCLP
RNS Number : 1654B
Scancell Holdings Plc
09 January 2018
09 January 2018
Scancell Holdings Plc
("Scancell" or the "Company")
Scancell to collaborate with BioNTech to investigate T cell
receptor based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer
Agreement expands potential therapeutic utility of Moditope(R)
to adoptive T cell therapy
Scancell Holdings plc, ('Scancell' or the 'Company') the
developer of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, is
pleased to announce that it has entered into a research
collaboration with BioNTech for the potential development of
innovative, T cell receptor based therapeutics for the treatment of
cancer. This research collaboration combines Scancell's Moditope(R)
immunotherapy platform and BioNTech's platform technology for
high-throughput cloning and characterisation of naturally selected
T cell receptors.
Moditope(R) represents a completely new class of potent and
selective immunotherapy agents which could have a profound effect
on the way that cancer immunotherapies are developed. It acts by
stimulating the production of CD4+ T cells using citrullinated
tumour-associated peptide epitopes which overcome self-tolerance
and destroy tumour cells. The technology overcomes the immune
suppression induced by tumours themselves without the need for
checkpoint blockade inhibitors, thereby allowing activated T cells
to seek out and kill tumour cells that would otherwise be hidden
from the immune system.
Under the terms of the agreement, Scancell and BioNTech will
enter into an initial research collaboration to discover and
characterise T cell receptors specific for citrullinated epitopes
from vimentin and enolase. These epitopes form the basis of
Scancell's first Moditope(R) development candidate, Modi-1. Upon
completion of these studies, BioNTech will have the exclusive
option to enter into a licence agreement for the development of
cell receptor based therapeutics that are specific to Modi-1
epitopes.
Prof Lindy Durrant, Chief Scientific Officer of Scancell,
commented: "We are delighted to be working with BioNTech, one of
Europe's new immuno-oncology power-houses, to investigate the
development of targeted immunotherapies for the treatment of
cancer. Pre-clinical data from our Moditope(R) platform has shown
unprecedented anti-tumour effects can be delivered without the need
for checkpoint inhibition. We believe that this, combined with
BioNTech's engineered T cells specific to Moditope(R) epitopes,
could have great potential as a novel immunotherapy."
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes
of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR).
For Further Information:
Dr John Chiplin, Executive Scancell Holdings
Chairman Plc +1 858 361 6288
Freddy Crossley (Corporate
Finance)
Tom Salvesen (Corporate Panmure Gordon +44 (0) 20 7886
Broking) & Co 2500
+44 (0) 20 3727
Mo Noonan/Simon Conway FTI Consulting 1000
About Scancell
Scancell is developing novel immunotherapies for the treatment
of cancer based on its ImmunoBody(R) and Moditope(R) technology
platforms.
Scancell's first ImmunoBody(R), SCIB1 is being developed for the
treatment of melanoma. Data from the Phase 1/2 clinical trial
demonstrate that SCIB1, when used as monotherapy, has a marked
effect on tumour load, produces a melanoma-specific immune response
and highly encouraging survival trend without serious side effects.
In patients with resected disease there is increasing evidence to
suggest that SCIB1 may delay or prevent disease recurrence.
Scancell's ImmunoBody(R) vaccines target dendritic cells and
stimulate both parts of the cellular immune system: the helper cell
system where inflammation is stimulated at the tumour site and the
cytotoxic T-lymphocyte or CTL response where immune system cells
are primed to recognise and kill specific cells.
Pre-clinical data on a combination of SCIB1 or SCIB2 and
checkpoint inhibition (blockade of the PD-1 or CTLA-4 immune
checkpoint pathways) have shown enhanced tumour destruction and
significantly longer survival times than when either treatment was
used alone.
Scancell has also identified and patented a series of modified
epitopes that stimulate the production of killer CD4+ T cells that
destroy tumours with minimal toxicity. The Directors believe that
the Moditope(R) platform could play a major role in the development
of safe and effective cancer immunotherapies in the future.
About BioNTech
BioNTech is Europe's largest privately held biopharmaceutical
company pioneering the development of individualized therapies for
cancer and other diseases. The company combines all building blocks
for individualized immunotherapy under one roof - from diagnostics
and drug development to manufacturing. Its cutting-edge
technologies range from individualized mRNA-based medicines through
innovative chimeric antigen receptors and T-cell receptor-based
products to novel checkpoint immunomodulators and small molecules.
BioNTech's approach is validated by five top-tier corporate
partnerships with Genentech, Genmab, Eli Lilly and Company, Sanofi
and Bayer Animal Health. Founded in 2008, BioNTech's financial
shareholders include the Struengmann Family Office as majority
shareholder, MIG Fonds, Salvia, Redmile Group, Janus Henderson
Investors, Invus, Fidelity Management & Research Company and
several European family offices.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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