MARLBOROUGH, Mass.,
Dec. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- RXi
Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII) announced today that it
has entered into a research collaboration with Medigene AG (MDG1,
Frankfurt, Prime Standard, TecDAX)
to explore potential synergies of using RXi's self-delivering RNAi
technology (sd-rxRNA®) in combination with Medigene's recombinant
TCRs to develop modified T cells with enhanced efficacy and/or
safety. The preclinical research program will examine the
applicability of RXi's sd-rxRNA technology to be integrated into
Medigene's process to produce receptor-modified T cells with the
ultimate goal to further improve Medigene's T cell therapies for
the treatment of cancer patients.
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Research teams at Medigene will closely work together with the
scientists at RXi to explore potential advantages of transient down
regulation of certain genes ("knock down") to prevent negative
regulation of T cells expressing a recombinant TCR directed against
a predefined tumor antigen. The two complementing technologies
could lead to synergistic effects that might further sharpen and
improve the therapeutic effects of Medigene's receptor-modified T
cells.
Markus Dangl, Senior Vice
President Research and Preclinical Development of Medigene AG,
comments: "We are very happy that we found a partner that is fully
aligned with our vision to further improve our adoptive T cell
therapy approach. We are convinced that this technology can help us
to develop the next generation of recombinant T cells that are
highly efficacious, also in challenging solid tumor environments.
These T cells will contain features that have the potential to
further enhance the efficacy and safety of our approach to bring
highly beneficial cellular therapies to the market."
Dr. Geert Cauwenbergh,
President and CEO of RXi Pharmaceuticals, adds: "We are excited
to start this new collaboration. Medigene's adoptive cell therapy,
using their TCR platform, is a very attractive and promising
development in immuno-oncology; and we are pleased with their
decision to use our sd-rxRNA technology in combination with their
TCR approach. The use of our immuno-oncology sd-rxRNA compounds
with their receptor-modified T cells could potentially create a
next generation of very powerful adoptive cell therapies against
serious cancers that currently are difficult to target."
About Medigene's TCR technology: The TCR technology aims
at arming the patient's own T cells with tumor-specific T-cell
receptors. The receptor-modified T cells are then able to detect
and efficiently kill tumor cells. This immunotherapy approach
attempts to overcome the patient's tolerance towards cancer cells
and tumor-induced immunosuppression by activating and modifying the
patient's T cells outside the body (ex vivo).
TCR therapy is developed to utilize a higher number of potential
tumor antigens than other T cell-based immunotherapies, such as
chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy. Medigene is
preparing the clinical development of its first TCR candidates and
is establishing a pipeline of recombinant T-cell receptors, and has
established Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant processes
for their combination with patient-derived T cells.
Medigene AG (FSE: MDG1, ISIN DE000A1X3W00, Prime
Standard, TecDAX) is a publicly listed biotechnology company
headquartered in Martinsried near Munich,
Germany. The company is developing highly innovative
immunotherapies to target various forms and stages of cancer.
Medigene concentrates on the development of personalized T
cell-based therapies, with associated projects currently in
pre-clinical and clinical development.
For more information, please
visit http://www.medigene.com
RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII) is a
clinical-stage company developing innovative therapeutics that
address significant unmet medical needs. Building on the
pioneering discovery of RNAi, scientists at RXi have harnessed the
naturally occurring RNAi process which can be used to "silence" or
down-regulate the expression of a specific gene that may be
overexpressed in a disease condition. RXi developed a robust
RNAi therapeutic platform, including self-delivering RNA
(sd-rxRNA®) compounds, that have the ability to highly selectively
block the expression of any target in the genome, thus providing
applicability to many therapeutic areas. Our current programs
include dermatology, ophthalmology, and cell-based
immunotherapy. RXi's extensive patent portfolio provides for
multiple product and business development opportunities across a
broad spectrum of therapeutic areas, and we actively pursue
research collaborations, partnering and out-licensing opportunities
with academia and pharmaceutical companies.
For additional information, visit the Company's website,
www.rxipharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements
about: our ability to successfully develop RXI-109, Samcyprone™ and
our other product candidates (collectively "our product
candidates"); the future success of our clinical trials with our
product candidates; the timing for the commencement and completion
of clinical trials; our ability to enter into strategic
partnerships and the future success of these strategic
partnerships; and our ability to deploy our sd-rxRNA® technology
through partnerships, as well as the prospects of these
partnerships to provide positive returns. Forward-looking
statements about expectations and development plans of RXi's
product candidates and partnerships involve significant risks and
uncertainties, including the following: risks that we may not be
able to successfully develop and commercialize our product
candidates; risks that product development and clinical studies may
be delayed, not proceed as planned and/or be subject to significant
cost over-runs; risks related to the development and
commercialization of products by competitors; risks related to our
ability to control the timing and terms of collaborations with
third parties; and risks that other companies or organizations may
assert patent rights preventing us from developing or
commercializing our product candidates. Additional risks are
detailed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and
subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the caption "Risk
Factors." Readers are urged to review these risk factors and
to not act in reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual
results may differ from those contemplated by our forward-looking
statements. RXi does not undertake to update forward-looking
statements to reflect a change in its views, events or
circumstances that occur after the date of this release.
Contact Medigene AG
Julia
Hofmann, Dr. Robert Mayer
Tel.: +49 - 89 - 20 00 33 - 33 01
email: investor@medigene.com
Contact RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Tamara McGrillen
Tel: +1 508-929-3646
Email: tmcgrillen@rxipharma.com
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SOURCE RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation