collaborators. Two such companies, Novartis International AG (Kymriah
®
) and Kite Pharma Inc./Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Yescarta
®
), have now commercialized autologous CAR
+
T cells against CD19. Additional companies developing autologous CAR
+
T targets include Juno Therapeutics Inc./Celgene Corporation, bluebird bio, Inc., in collaboration with Celgene Corporation, Nanjing Legend Biotech and Janssen Biotech, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson
& Johnson, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Autolus Therapeutics plc, Mustang Bio, Inc. and Marker Therapeutics, Inc. Several companies are pursuing the development of allogeneic CAR
+
T
therapies, including Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (in collaboration with Pfizer Inc.), Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. and Cellectis SA (in collaboration with Servier) which may compete with our product candidates.
Our TCR program faces competition from companies targeting shared antigens, including from Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline
plc, Kite Pharma Inc./Gilead Sciences, Inc., Tmunity Therapeutics Inc, Medigene AG, Tactiva Therapeutics, LLC, Takara Bio Inc., TC BioPharm Ltd., TCR
2
Therapeutics Inc. and Zelluna Immunotherapy
AS. Several companies, including Advaxis Inc./Amgen Inc., BioNTech AG, Neon Therapeutics Inc. and Gritstone Oncology, Inc., are pursuing vaccine platforms to target neoantigens for solid tumors. Other companies are developing non-viral gene
therapies, including Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. and several companies developing CRISPR technology. We also face competition from non-cell-based treatments offered by other companies such as Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company,
Incyte Corporation, Merck & Co., Inc., and Roche Holding AG.
We are initially developing our Controlled IL-12 platform for the treatment of rGBM.
Companies that sell marketed drugs for rGBM are Genentech, Inc. and Roche Holding AG with Avastin (bevacizumab), a vascular endothelial growth factor directed antibody indicated for the treatment of adults with rGBM. Arbor Pharmaceuticals Inc.
markets GLIADEL Wafer, which is indicated in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade malignant glioma as an adjunct to surgery and radiation and is also indicated in patients with rGBM multiforme as an adjunct to surgery.
Several companies have product candidates in Phase 3 development for the treatment of glioblastoma. Tocagen Inc. is conducting a Phase 2/3 randomized,
open-label study of Toca 511, a retroviral replicating vector, combined with Toca FC in subjects undergoing planned resection for rGBM. Vascular Biogenics Ltd. is developing VB-111, an anti-angiogenic non-replicating adenovirus, combined with
bevacizumab, in patients with rGBM. DelMar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is developing VAL-083, a systemic alkylating agent, in patients with rGBM who have failed standard temozolomide/radiation therapy and bevacizumab.
Other competitors with product candidates currently in Phase 2 clinical trials include AbbVie Inc.s Depatus-M (ABT-414) and DNA-2401, a conditionally
replicative adenovirus being evaluated in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA
®
) for rGBM by DNATrix Inc. and Merck & Co., Inc. Duke University is enrolling a randomized Phase 2 study
of oncolytic polio/rhinovirus recombinant (PVSRIPO) alone or in combination with lomustine in recurrent WHO Grade IV malignant glioma patients. Also, MedImmune, LLC/AstraZeneca plcs durvalumab was evaluated in a Phase 2 trial in patients with
rGBM.
Employees
As of February 21,
2019, we had 48 full-time employees, 33 of whom were engaged in research and development activities and 15 of whom were engaged in business development, finance, information systems, facilities, human resources or administrative support. None of our
employees are subject to a collective bargaining agreement.
Corporate Information
We originally incorporated in Colorado in September 1998 (under the name Net Escapes, Inc.) and later changed our name to EasyWeb, Inc. in February
1999. We
re-incorporated
in Delaware on May 16, 2005 under the same name. On September 13, 2005, we completed a reverse acquisition of privately held Ziopharm, Inc., a Delaware
corporation. To affect this transaction, we caused ZIO Acquisition Corp., our wholly-owned subsidiary, to merge with and into Ziopharm, Inc., with Ziopharm, Inc. surviving as our wholly owned subsidiary. In accordance with the terms of the merger,
the outstanding common stock of Ziopharm, Inc. automatically converted into the right to receive an aggregate of approximately 97.3% of our outstanding common stock (after giving effect to the transaction). Following the merger, we caused Ziopharm,
Inc. to merge
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