SAN DIEGO, June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- OncoSec Medical
Inc. ("OncoSec") (NASDAQ: ONCS), a company developing DNA-based
intratumoral cancer immunotherapies, today announced a
collaboration with University of California,
Davis (UC Davis) School of Veterinary Medicine to test
ImmunoPulse™ IL-12 as an immunotherapy in dogs with soft tissue
sarcoma. The primary goals of the canine study are to advance the
understanding of the mechanism of action of ImmunoPulse™ IL-12 and
validate key clinical biomarkers.
"This clinical trial in canine patients underscores our
commitment to collaborating with leaders in the medical and
scientific community with the shared goal of advancing the
development of cancer immunotherapies," said Robert H. Pierce, MD, Chief Scientific Officer
at OncoSec. "We're very excited to work with UC Davis, a pioneering
institution in both human and veterinary medicine. This partnership
is key to expanding our understanding of how ImmunoPulse™ IL-12
will address the unmet medical need of the human anti-PD-1
non-responder population and hopefully, provide a clinical benefit
to the participating companion dogs."
The study is an open label, neoadjuvant two-arm pilot trial in
approximately 12 canines with soft tissue sarcoma. Eligible canine
patients will be randomized to receive one of the two experimental
ImmunoPulse™ IL-12 treatment schedules, followed by definitive
surgical resection of the tumor.
"We are pleased to begin our collaboration with OncoSec to
evaluate potential immune responses in canine soft tissue sarcoma
and compare results in two treatment schedules of pIL-12
electroporation," said Michael S.
Kent, DVM, Associate Professor of Surgical &
Radiological Sciences at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and
principal investigator of this study. "We anticipate OncoSec's
intratumoral immunotherapy platform will trigger a programmatic
change in otherwise suppressive antigen-presenting cells within the
tumor and result in the activation of CD8+ T-cells."
"Since OncoSec treatments are DNA-based, we can easily encode
canine sequences in our plasmids, allowing us to 'double-down' and
investigate these compounds as anti-cancer therapies in canines,
while seizing the opportunity to understand the mechanism of these
agents in 'real' spontaneously occurring tumors in canine
patients," added Dr. Pierce. "In my opinion, clinical investigation
of cancer therapeutics – especially immunotherapies – in
spontaneous tumors in companion animals is an underutilized,
high-yield translational medicine approach."
To date, OncoSec's core immunotherapy platform, ImmunoPulse™,
has been used to deliver DNA-based IL-12 in Phase II clinical
trials for metastatic melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma and plans
to initiate Phase II studies in head and neck cancer and triple
negative breast cancer.
About OncoSec Medical Inc.
OncoSec Medical Inc. is a
biopharmaceutical company developing its investigational
ImmunoPulseTM intratumoral cancer immunotherapy.
OncoSec'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
ImmunoPulseTM 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 limiting the systemic
toxicities associated with other treatments. OncoSec's lead program
evaluating ImmunoPulseTM for the treatment of metastatic
melanoma is currently in Phase II development, and is being
conducted in collaboration with several prominent academic medical
centers. As the company continues to evaluate
ImmunoPulseTM 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.
About University of California,
Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Leading Veterinary Medicine, Addressing Societal Needs: The School
of Veterinary Medicine serves the people of California by providing educational, research,
clinical service, and public service programs of the highest
quality to advance the health and care of animals, the environment,
and the public, and to contribute to the economy. For further
information, visit www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/.
CONTACT:
Investor Relations:
Jordyn Kopin
OncoSec Medical Inc.
855-662-6732
investors@oncosec.com
Media Relations:
Mary Marolla
OncoSec Medical Inc.
855-662-6732
media@oncosec.com
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SOURCE OncoSec Medical Inc.