SAN DIEGO and PENNINGTON, N.J., May
21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OncoSec Medical Incorporated
(OncoSec) (NASDAQ:ONCS), a late-stage biotechnology company
developing intratumoral gene-delivery immunotherapies, today
announced that the Company has been granted exclusive worldwide
rights to Gaeta Therapeutics' broad portfolio of patents and
applications covering the combination use of IL-12 DNA and various
checkpoint inhibitor therapies, including anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD‑1
compounds, in key global markets.
IL-12 has emerged as an important pro-inflammatory signaling
cytokine, which many other companies are now using to develop
cancer immunotherapies with several different modalities. The
exclusive rights OncoSec has secured in this patent portfolio cover
the use of IL-12 DNA, in combination with checkpoint inhibitors,
while pending applications are pursuing broader claims, across
multiple jurisdictions.
Originally invented at the University of Zurich by Professor Burkhard Becher, a renowned IL-12 expert, under
this license OncoSec has now gained exclusive global rights to this
important suite of issued patents and pending patent applications
which not only supplement its current patent holdings, but also
cover other uses of IL-12 DNA in combination with various
checkpoint inhibitors in several key territories.
"IL-12's ability to turn cold tumors hot has immense potential
to transform the outcomes of the large number of patients whose
disease does not respond to monotherapy with checkpoint
blockade. We are delighted to partner with OncoSec, leaders
in the DNA-based delivery of IL-12, and look forward to the results
of ongoing trials, and to the anticipated approval of TAVO™ in
combination with KEYTRUDA®," said Professor Burkhard Becher, Director of the Institute of
Experimental Immunology at the University of Zurich.
OncoSec's tumor-agnostic, IL-12 gene delivery platform, TAVO™,
has shown encouraging clinical results in several clinical trials
and demonstrated the ability to reverse resistance to checkpoint
inhibitor therapy in metastatic melanoma and triple negative breast
cancer patients. This new portfolio further expands OncoSec's
patent exclusivity to broadly cover the use of IL-12 in combination
with various checkpoint inhibitors in several major markets.
"This is an exciting opportunity for OncoSec to gain exclusive
access to this very important intellectual property portfolio and
gives us the freedom to operate using IL-12 in combination with a
checkpoint blockade for the treatment of a variety of cancer
indications," said Daniel J.
O'Connor, President and Chief Executive Officer of OncoSec.
"Given the growing body of clinical evidence that this approach has
generated, and the revenue implications of protecting downstream
checkpoint blockade, we are particularly pleased to license this
broad-based IP."
"Moreover, the acquisition of this IP estate may provide a
future stream of licensing revenue for OncoSec through sublicenses
to other companies seeking to use the combination of IL-12 and
checkpoint inhibitors via other modalities," continued Mr.
O'Connor.
About Gaeta Therapeutics
Gaeta Therapeutics was
established in 2017 as a spin-off company of the University of
Zurich to commercialize
Intellectual Property protecting the combined use of local IL-12
and Checkpoint Inhibition in the treatment of cancer, which was
pioneered by Prof. Burkhard Becher,
Director of the Institute of Experimental Immunology and a leader
in the field of IL-12 immunology. Gaeta, based in the UK, is
granting a series of licenses in RNA-, DNA- and protein-based IL-12
delivery mechanisms.
About OncoSec Medical Incorporated
OncoSec is a
clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing
cytokine-based intratumoral immunotherapies to stimulate the body's
immune system to target and attack cancer. OncoSec's lead
immunotherapy platform – TAVO™ (tavokinogene telseplasmid) –
enables the intratumoral delivery of DNA-based interleukin-12
(IL-12), a naturally occurring protein with immune-stimulating
functions. The technology, which employs electroporation, is
designed to produce a controlled, localized expression of IL-12 in
the tumor microenvironment, enabling the immune system to target
and attack tumors throughout the body. OncoSec has built a deep and
diverse clinical pipeline utilizing TAVO™ as a potential treatment
for multiple cancer indications either as a monotherapy or in
combination with leading checkpoint inhibitors; with the latter
potentially enabling OncoSec to address a great unmet medical need
in oncology: anti-PD-1 non-responders. Results from recently
completed clinical studies of TAVO™ have demonstrated a local
immune response, and subsequently, a systemic effect as either a
monotherapy or combination treatment approach. In addition to
TAVO™, OncoSec is identifying and developing new DNA-encoded
therapeutic candidates and tumor indications for use with its
ImmunoPulse® platform. For more information, please visit
www.oncosec.com.
ImmunoPulse® is a registered trademark of OncoSec Medical
Incorporated.
TAVO™ is a trademark of OncoSec Medical Incorporated.
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck, Sharp & Dohme
Corp, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.
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 "can," "may," "will,"
"suggest," "look forward to," "potential," "understand,"
"anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "expect" 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; the success and timing of
our clinical trials; the success and timing of our Investigational
New Drug submission to the Food and Drug Administration; our
ability to obtain and maintain marketing approval from regulatory
agencies for our products in the U.S. and foreign countries; our
ability to successfully implement our strategy; 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.
CONTACT
Investor Relations:
Will O'Connor
Stern Investor Relations
(212) 362-1200
will@sternir.com
Media Relations:
Katie Dodge
JPA Health Communications
(617) 657-1304
kdodge@jpa.com
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oncosec-granted-exclusive-worldwide-rights-to-a-patent-portfolio-for-the-combination-use-of-il-12-dna-with-checkpoint-inhibitors-to-treat-cancer-in-several-key-countries-300853982.html
SOURCE OncoSec Medical Incorporated