LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ImmunoCellular
Therapeutics, Ltd. ("ImmunoCellular") (NYSE MKT: IMUC) today
announced that the Company's Founder and Chief Scientific Officer,
John S. Yu, MD, delivered a
presentation highlighting the therapeutic importance of utilizing
antigen-specific dendritic cell (DC) cancer vaccines for inducing a
potent T-cell response and destroying tumor cells as well as cancer
stem cells. Dr. Yu's presentation took place today in a session
titled "Dendritic Cell Vaccines Targeting Cancer Stem Cells" at
Cambridge Healthtech Institute's Third Annual "Targeting Cancer
Stem Cells: New Opportunities for Oncology Therapeutics," which is
part of the 21st Annual Molecular Medicine Tri
Conference, in San Francisco.
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During his presentation, Dr. Yu described ImmunoCellular's
proprietary DC-based immunotherapeutic vaccines, which are designed
to target both tumor cells and cancer stem cells by utilizing
multiple, validated tumor-specific antigens to trigger a powerful
antitumor immune system response. Dr. Yu contrasted
ImmunoCellular's approach with other cancer vaccine technologies,
including tumor lysates, which may only include a small amount of
tumor-specific antigens and may induce a weaker antibody-based
immune response, and noted by contrast that antigen-specific
DC-based vaccines have the potential to mount a T-cell response
that may be more robust, efficient and tumor-specific. By way of
illustration, in describing the design of ICT-107, the Company's
vaccine to treat glioblastoma (GBM), Dr. Yu noted that the six
specific antigens in this vaccine have been validated as expressed
on GBM cells and having important roles in tumor growth. Dr. Yu
observed that patients with GBM whose tumors express these six
antigens generally have a poorer clinical prognosis. By enabling
DCs to recognize and process specific antigens, a stronger T cell
response can be induced with a view to effectively killing cancer
cells and cancer stem cells, potentially leading to a superior
cancer vaccine.
"The core premise of ImmunoCellular's cancer vaccine approach is
that the key to targeting cancer is targeting cancer stem cells for
destruction," said Dr. Yu. "Immunologically, the ability to enable
dendritic cells to induce a powerful T-cell response requires that
they recognize and efficiently process or mount a response to
specific antigens on tumors that can lead to effective cancer cell
and cancer stem cell death. T cells are the most powerful, and one
could argue, the primary weapon in the immune system that can kill
tumors, which is why we have designed our cancer vaccines to
specifically and selectively trigger their
activation."
About ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.
ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. is a Los Angeles area-based clinical-stage company
that is developing immune-based therapies for the treatment of
brain and other cancers. ImmunoCellular has concluded a phase II
trial of its lead product candidate, ICT-107, a dendritic
cell-based vaccine targeting multiple tumor-associated antigens for
glioblastoma. ImmunoCellular's pipeline also includes ICT-121, a
dendritic cell vaccine targeting CD133, and ICT-140, a dendritic
cell vaccine targeting ovarian cancer antigens and cancer stem
cells. To learn more about ImmunoCellular, please visit
www.imuc.com.
Forward-Looking Statements for ImmunoCellular Therapeutics
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements
that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including
the risk that the scientific premises for the Company's approach to
cancer vaccines can be shown to be safe and effective and in
particular whether ICT-107 can be further successfully developed or
commercialized. Additional risks and uncertainties are described in
IMUC's most recently filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q and annual
report on Form 10-K. Except as permitted by law, IMUC undertakes no
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Contact:
ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.
Investor Relations
Jane Green
415.348.0010 direct
415.652.4819 mobile
jane@jmgcomm.com
SOURCE ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.