SAN DIEGO, April 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OncoSec
Medical Incorporated ("OncoSec") (NASDAQ: ONCS), a company
developing DNA-based intratumoral cancer
immunotherapies, announced that preclinical data from its
collaboration with Heat Biologics, Inc. ("Heat") focused on
evaluating the combination of immunotherapy platforms were
presented yesterday at the American Conference for Cancer Research
(AACR) Annual Meeting (www.aacr.org).
In the poster entitled "In vivo intra-tumoral
electroporation of gp96-Ig/Fc-OX40L stimulates CD8+ T
cell cross-priming to tumor specific neoantigens" (Abstract #567),
researchers concluded that combining Heat's ComPACT vaccine
with OncoSec's intratumoral DNA electroporation delivery platform
stimulated an expansion of neoantigen-specific CD8+ T
cells, leading to a regression in both treated and untreated cancer
lesions in two mouse studies (melanoma and colorectal
cancer). OncoSec and Heat announced their collaboration last
year to evaluate the preclinical efficacy of delivering Heat's
immunotherapy vaccines via OncoSec's ImmunoPulse™ platform.
"We are excited by our collaboration with Heat and by these
initial findings. The ability of the tumor's microenvironment to
evade immune recognition and remain non-immunogenic is a
significant challenge, which we believe needs to be addressed when
designing new immuno-therapies," said Robert H. Pierce, MD, OncoSec's Chief Scientific
Officer. "The initial feasibility data between our two platforms
are encouraging and we are currently exploring the potential
synergy between our platforms with both ComPACT and
interleukin-12 expressing plasmids."
"In this first preclinical study demonstrating the feasibility
of electroporating ComPACT DNA plasmids, we saw robust
neoantigen T cell response and tumor regression in both treated and
untreated tumors, indicating a systemic anti-tumor response that
could be reflective of what we might see in metastatic lesions,"
said Taylor Schreiber, MD, PhD,
Heat's Chief Scientific Officer. "We believe that this approach is
promising and that further studies are merited, especially as this
combination approach has the potential to stimulate shared and
private tumor antigens without introducing the complexities
associated with personalized therapies."
Copies of the abstract are available and can be viewed online
through the AACR website at www.aacr.org. The poster is available
in the Publications section of OncoSec's website.
About OncoSec Medical Incorporated
OncoSec is a biotechnology company developing DNA-based
intratumoral immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. The
Company's investigational technology, ImmunoPulse™, is designed to
enhance the local delivery and uptake of DNA-based immune-targeting
agents, such as interleukin-12 (IL-12). In Phase I and II clinical
trials, OncoSec's lead program, ImmunoPulse™ IL-12, demonstrated a
favorable safety profile and evidence of anti-tumor activity in the
treatment of various skin cancers as well as the potential to
initiate a systemic immune response. ImmunoPulse™ IL-12 is
currently in clinical development for several indications,
including metastatic melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer. In
addition to ImmunoPulse™ IL-12, the Company is also seeking to
identify and develop new immune-targeting agents for use with the
ImmunoPulse™ platform. For more information, please visit
www.oncosec.com.
About Heat Biologics, Inc.
Heat Biologics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HTBX) is an immuno-oncology
company developing novel therapies that activate a patient's immune
system against cancer. Heat's highly specific T
cell-stimulating platform technologies, ImPACT and
ComPACT, form the basis of its product candidates.
These platforms, in combination with other therapies, such as
checkpoint inhibitors, are designed to address three distinct but
synergistic mechanisms of action: robust activation of CD8+
"killer" T cells (one of the human immune system's most potent
weapons against cancer); reversal of tumor-induced immune
suppression; and T cell co-stimulation to further enhance patients'
immune response. Currently, Heat is conducting a Phase 2
trial with its HS-410 (vesigenurtacel-L) in patients with
non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and a Phase 1b trial
with its HS-110 (viagenpumatucel-L) in combination with an
anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor to treat patients with non-small
cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For more information, please visit
www.heatbio.com.
OncoSec Medical Incorporated Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words
such as "potential," "could," "will," "believe," "expect," "can,"
and similar references to future periods.
Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor
assurances of future performance. Instead, they 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.
Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ from those predicted include, among others, the
following: uncertainties inherent in pre-clinical studies and
clinical trials, such as the ability to enroll patients in clinical
trials and the risk of adverse events; unexpected new data,
safety and technical issues; our ability to raise additional
funding necessary to fund continued operations; and the other
factors discussed in OncoSec'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
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.
Heat Biologics, Inc. Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
about Heat's current expectations and projections about future
events. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified
by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue,"
"expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes,"
"estimates," and similar expressions. These statements are
based upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and
include statements regarding the indication of a systemic
anti-tumor response that could be reflective of what might be seen
in metastatic lesions, the belief that the approach is promising
and that further studies are merited, the potential of the
combination approach to stimulate shared and private tumor antigens
without introducing the complexities associated with personalized
therapies, the belief that the design of new immune-therapies needs
to address the tumor microenvironment's ability to evade immune
recognition and remain non-immunogenic, the expectation that any
future studies will further explore the synergies between Heat's
and OncoSec's platforms with both ComPACT and IL-12 expressing
plasmids and the potential of Heat's ImPACT and ComPACT
therapies. These statements are subject to a number of risks
and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict,
including the ability of Heat's ImPACT and ComPACT therapies to
perform as designed, the ability to enroll patients and complete
the clinical trials on time, the other factors described in our
annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and our other filings with the
SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and
8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of
the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update
any forward-looking statements contained in this release based on
new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by
law.
OncoSec Contact Information:
Mary Marolla
Corporate Communications
855-662-6732
media@oncosec.com
Heat Biologics Contact Information:
Jennifer Almond
Investor and Media
Relations
919-240-7133
investorrelations@heatbio.com
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SOURCE OncoSec Medical Incorporated