LOS ANGELES, Feb. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ImmunoCellular
Therapeutics, Ltd. ("ImmunoCellular") (NYSE MKT: IMUC) today
announced it has entered into an agreement with Stanford University for an option to evaluate and
license intellectual property related to the identification of T
cell receptors (TCRs) developed in the laboratory of Prof.
Mark Davis, Director, Stanford Institute for Immunity, Transplantation
and Infection, and The Burt and Marion Avery Family Professor of
Immunology at Stanford University
School of Medicine.
Creation of a pure population of T cells, based on targeted
screening for specific features, such as affinity to tumor antigens
and anti-tumor activity, enables isolation of a single population
of TCRs, which can then be sequenced. The DNA from these isolated
TCRs can be transferred into stem cells, such as hematopoietic stem
cells that are harvested from a cancer patient, with the goal of
creating a population of antigen-specific killer T cells that can
target and kill tumors. Gaining access to this cutting-edge TCR
identification technology has the potential to advance
ImmunoCellular's Stem-to-T-cell program and accelerate the
Company's ability to develop preclinical therapeutic
candidates.
"ImmunoCellular's Stem-to-T-cell program is a valuable asset
that has the potential to advance cancer immunotherapy to the next
level," said Steven Swanson, PhD,
ImmunoCellular Senior Vice President, Research. "Our strategy is to
integrate complementary breakthrough technologies by using modified
stem cells from the patient to develop antigen-specific killer T
cells that can directly attack and potentially eradicate tumors and
prevent their recurrence. The option to license Stanford's
technology in this area is a major milestone along the path of
advancing a pipeline of novel immune-oncology products."
"We are pleased that our Stem-to-T-cell program is leveraging
the work of prestigious academic and medical institutions that
include some of the major leaders in cancer stem cell research,"
said Andrew Gengos, ImmunoCellular
Chief Executive Officer. "We intend to continue to expand our
program with additional high value collaborations and bring
additional promising technologies into ImmunoCellular."
About ImmunoCellular's Stem-to-T-Cell Program
ImmunoCellular's dendritic cell-based immunotherapy platform and
its Stem-to-T-cell platform represent complementary approaches that
lead to the same result: to kill the tumor by creating a population
of antigen specific T cells that can specifically recognize and
kill cancer cells as well as cancer stem cells.
Dendritic cell-based immunotherapies creates a dendritic cell
outside of the patient's body, using the patient's own white blood
cells which, when reintroduced into the patient's body, are
programmed to find the killer T cells and essentially teach them
what to look for in the cancer and kill cancer cells.
In contrast, based on the technology in-licensed from The
California Institute of Technology last
year, ImmunoCellular's Stem-to-T-cell program starts with
hematopoietic stem cells, harvested from the patient, which are
then engineered outside of the patient's body such that when they
are reintroduced, they divide into themselves, and into daughter
cells which are antigen-specific killer T cells.
ImmunoCellular's Stem-to-T-cell program is designed to harness
the power of the immune system in highly directed and specific ways
to engineer highly antigen-specific tumor killing. At the core of
the Stem-to-T-cell technology is harvesting stem cells from cancer
patients and then cloning into them T cell receptors that are
specific for cancer cells. These engineered stem cells will then be
reintroduced into the patient and are pre-programed to produce
daughter cells that are antigen specific killer T cells that are
capable of identifying, binding to, and killing cancer cells.
Because stem cells are immortal, these reengineered stem cells
could provide a natural and perpetual source of T cells that can
target and destroy cancer cells in the patient.
An important component of the Stem-to-T-cell program is
identification and selection of a T cell receptor that is capable
of binding to tumor cells. It is this T cell receptor that
will be transferred into the hematopoietic stem cell, and that
allows the stem cell to produce cytotoxic T cells that can bind and
kill tumor cells.
About ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.
ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. is a Los Angeles-based clinical-stage company that
is developing immune-based therapies for the treatment of brain and
other cancers. The phase 3 registrational trial of lead product
candidate, ICT-107, a dendritic cell-based immunotherapy targeting
multiple tumor-associated antigens on glioblastoma stem cells, is
open for patient screening. ImmunoCellular's pipeline also
includes: ICT-121, a dendritic cell immunotherapy targeting the
CD133 antigen on stem cells in recurrent glioblastoma; ICT-140, a
dendritic cell immunotherapy targeting antigens on ovarian cancer
stem cells; and the Stem-to-T-cell research program which engineers
the patient's hematopoietic stem cells to generate antigen-specific
cancer-killing T cells.
Forward-Looking Statements for ImmunoCellular
Therapeutics
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements,
including statements regarding the development and
commercialization of ICT-107, initiation of a phase 3 study of
ICT-107, the advancement of the ICT-121 phase 1 trial, the
development of the Company's preclinical Stem-to-T-cell and related
research and collaborative program efforts and its ability to
achieve other clinical, operational and financial goals. These
statements are based on ImmunoCellular's current expectations and
involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those
described under the heading "Risk Factors" in ImmunoCellular's most
recently filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q and annual report on
Form 10-K. Except as required by law, ImmunoCellular 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
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SOURCE ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.