Cancer immunotherapy

Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT) Announces Second Oncology Drug Candidate Selected to Advance into Formal IND Enabling Studies from Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) Collaboration

Boehringer Ingelheim, Cancer immunotherapy, Economy of Germany, Companies, Industries
Tuesday, March 31, 2020 - 1:00pm

OXFORD, United Kingdom and SAN JOSE, Calif., March 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oxford BioTherapeutics Ltd. (OBT), a clinical stage oncology company with a pipeline of immuno-oncology and antibody drug conjugate-based therapies, today announced that Boehringer Ingelheim has selected a second asset to advance into formal IND enabling studies.

Key Points: 
  • OXFORD, United Kingdom and SAN JOSE, Calif., March 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oxford BioTherapeutics Ltd. (OBT), a clinical stage oncology company with a pipeline of immuno-oncology and antibody drug conjugate-based therapies, today announced that Boehringer Ingelheim has selected a second asset to advance into formal IND enabling studies.
  • It is one of several assets that have emerged from OGAP including several assets in preclinical and clinical development by OBT.
  • OBT and BIs collaboration employs OBTs OGAP target discovery platform to identify novel drug discovery targets that can be substrates for innovative antibody-based therapeutics.
  • OBT has a strong oncology focused management team and board with significant experience in developing IO and antibody-based therapies.

BeyondSpring Initiates New Drug Application Rolling Submission for Plinabulin in China for Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia

Chemistry, Diketopiperazines, Imidazoles, Plinabulin, Health, Oncology, Food and Drug Administration, Cancer immunotherapy, Medicine
Monday, March 30, 2020 - 1:00pm

Commencing the NDA rolling submission in China marks a significant milestone for BeyondSpring, bringing Plinabulin one step closer to commercialization to enhance the lives of cancer patients, said Dr. Lan Huang, BeyondSprings co-founder and CEO.

Key Points: 
  • Commencing the NDA rolling submission in China marks a significant milestone for BeyondSpring, bringing Plinabulin one step closer to commercialization to enhance the lives of cancer patients, said Dr. Lan Huang, BeyondSprings co-founder and CEO.
  • The Company expects to submit an NDA for the same indication to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the second half of 2020.
  • BeyondSpring has strong R&D capabilities with a robust pipeline in addition to Plinabulin, including three immuno-oncology assets and a drug discovery platform using the ubiquitination degradation pathway.
  • Plinabulin is currently in late-stage clinical development to increase overall survival in cancer patients, as well as to alleviate chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN).

PDS Biotechnology Reports Full Year 2019 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

Cancer immunotherapy, Virotherapy, Medicine, South San Francisco, California, Biotechnology, Life sciences
Friday, March 27, 2020 - 8:15pm

PRINCETON, N.J., March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PDS Biotechnology Corporation (PDS Biotechnology) (Nasdaq: PDSB), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing multiple therapies based on T-cell activating technology called Versamune today announced its financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2019 and provided a business update.

Key Points: 
  • PRINCETON, N.J., March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PDS Biotechnology Corporation (PDS Biotechnology) (Nasdaq: PDSB), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing multiple therapies based on T-cell activating technology called Versamune today announced its financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2019 and provided a business update.
  • For the year ended December 31, 2019, the net loss was approximately $6.9 million, or $1.44 per basic and diluted share.
  • PDS Biotech is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing multiple therapies based on the Companys proprietary Versamune T-cell activating technology platform.
  • PDS Biotechs lead candidate, PDS0101, combines the utility of the Versamune platform with targeted antigens in HPV-expressing cancers.

EpiVax Oncology Inc. Announces It Has Reduced the Timeline of Its Personalized Neoantigen Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine Process to Under Four Weeks

Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, Health, Oncology, Medicine, Medical specialties, Vaccination, Branches of biology, Cancer vaccines, Vaccines, Cancer vaccine, Vaccine, Cancer immunotherapy, Genomics, Individualized cancer immunotherapy, Tumor antigen vaccine
Thursday, March 26, 2020 - 8:42pm

EpiVax Oncology, Inc ., a precision cancer immunotherapy company, today announced it has reduced the timeline from biopsy to vaccine to under 4 weeks for its personalized neoantigen therapeutic cancer vaccines.

Key Points: 
  • EpiVax Oncology, Inc ., a precision cancer immunotherapy company, today announced it has reduced the timeline from biopsy to vaccine to under 4 weeks for its personalized neoantigen therapeutic cancer vaccines.
  • Previously, the process to create an a personalized vaccine starting from tumor biopsy took at least 12 to 18 weeks.
  • With a personalized cancer vaccine process under 4 weeks, we can safely create a vaccine to treat all stages of aggressive cancer including in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant and metastatic setting.
  • EpiVax Oncology's personalized vaccine design platform, Ancer, incorporates the world-class EpiMatrix system and the innovative JanusMatrix tool, which were exclusively licensed to EpiVax Oncology by EpiVax.

Scholar Rock Announces Publication in Science Translational Medicine of Preclinical Data Detailing a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of TGFβ1 Overcoming Primary Resistance to Checkpoint Inhibition

Biotechnology, Other Health, Health, Pharmaceutical, Oncology, Immune system, Checkpoint inhibitor, Branches of biology, Cancer immunotherapy
Thursday, March 26, 2020 - 11:30am

Selective inhibition of latent TGF1 activation with SRK-181 has demonstrated an improved safety profile as compared to pan-TGF inhibitors.

Key Points: 
  • Selective inhibition of latent TGF1 activation with SRK-181 has demonstrated an improved safety profile as compared to pan-TGF inhibitors.
  • SRK-181 is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of TGF1 activation and is an investigational product candidate being developed to overcome primary resistance to checkpoint inhibitor therapy, such as anti-PD-(L)1 antibodies.
  • TGF1 is the predominant TGF isoform expressed in many human tumors, particularly for those tumors where checkpoint therapies are currently approved.
  • By overcoming this immune cell exclusion, Scholar Rock believes SRK-181 has the potential to induce tumor regression when administered in combination with anti-PD-(L)1 therapy.

Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Advocates for Expanded Access to Anti-IL-6 Therapies for Critically Ill Patients

Medicine, Medical specialties, Health, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, Cancer treatments, SITC, Cancer immunotherapy, Immunotherapy
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 - 10:00pm

MILWAUKEE, March 25, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) has released a statement advocating for expanded access to FDA-approved IL-6/IL-6R-blocking antibodies for critically ill patients with COVID-19-induced hypoxia.

Key Points: 
  • MILWAUKEE, March 25, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) has released a statement advocating for expanded access to FDA-approved IL-6/IL-6R-blocking antibodies for critically ill patients with COVID-19-induced hypoxia.
  • Two large-scale trials of IL-6-targeting therapies have recently been announced, further underscoring the need for access to these therapies.
  • About SITC Established in 1984, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is a nonprofit organization of medical professionals dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the development, science and application of cancer immunotherapy and tumor immunology.
  • Learn more about SITC, our educational offerings and other resources at http://www.sitcancer.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Sorrento Launches Novel I-Cell™ COVID-19 Cellular Vaccine Program

Medical specialties, Medicine, Immunology, Branches of biology, Immune system, Vaccination, Antigen, Biomolecules, Immunogenicity, Vaccine, Modified vaccinia Ankara, Cancer immunotherapy
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 - 2:00pm

The decoy cell strategy (I-Cell, which means immune-training cells) has been conceptualized and developed by Sorrento scientists utilizing expertise acquired in the fight against cancer.

Key Points: 
  • The decoy cell strategy (I-Cell, which means immune-training cells) has been conceptualized and developed by Sorrento scientists utilizing expertise acquired in the fight against cancer.
  • After irradiation to prevent the replication of the cells, the cells can be administered by intramuscular injection as a vaccine.
  • Per the publication, the overall strategy to utilize a viral antigen-expressing, non-replicating cellular system as both a carrier, and as an immunogenic antigen-presenting platform is novel.
  • Sorrento has identified a leading infectious disease contract research organization to support the phase 1 clinical trial and accelerated timelines.

Repertoire Immune Medicines Launches Type 1 Diabetes Focused Program with Investment from JDRF T1D Fund

Technology, Research, Infectious diseases, Other Technology, Clinical trials, Biotechnology, Health, Pharmaceutical, Science, JDRF, Cancer immunotherapy, Immune system, Health
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 - 1:00pm

Repertoire Immune Medicines , a newly launched company working to unleash the curative power of the immune system to prevent and cure disease, today announced an investment from the JDRF T1D Fund, a venture philanthropy vehicle focused on accelerating life-changing solutions to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Key Points: 
  • Repertoire Immune Medicines , a newly launched company working to unleash the curative power of the immune system to prevent and cure disease, today announced an investment from the JDRF T1D Fund, a venture philanthropy vehicle focused on accelerating life-changing solutions to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes (T1D).
  • We are excited by Repertoire Immune Medicines world-class team and believe the highly innovative platform can enable a range of different therapies to change the trajectory for people with T1D, said Katie Ellias, Managing Director at the JDRF T1D Fund.
  • Repertoire Immune Medicines was then formed by combining two Flagship companies the innovative and proprietary immune decoding platforms of Cogen Immune Medicines and the immuno-oncology platforms of Torque Therapeutics to create a fully integrated Immune Medicines company.
  • The JDRF T1D Fund ( www.t1dfund.org ) is a venture philanthropy fund accelerating life-changing solutions to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes (T1D) through catalytic equity investments.

Biotech Brief: Why Oncolytic Viruses are Becoming a Potent Weapon Against Cancer

Experimental cancer treatments, Medicine, Biotechnology, Clinical medicine, Oncolytic virus, Life sciences, Adenoviridae, Virus, Cancer immunotherapy, Cancer, Virotherapy, Oncolytic adenovirus
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 - 12:30pm

PALM BEACH, Florida, March 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Oncolytic viruses are becoming a new class of cancer immunotherapy weapons to combat cancer.

Key Points: 
  • PALM BEACH, Florida, March 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Oncolytic viruses are becoming a new class of cancer immunotherapy weapons to combat cancer.
  • These naturally occurring or modified viruses are a potent new weapon against cancer, according to recent reports on this growing market.
  • Oncolytic viruses are naturally occurring or genetically modified to target specific types of cancer cells.
  • The oncolytic viruses must be genetically stable and be incapable of reverting back to its wild-type form while replicating inside cancer cells.

Biotech Brief: Why Oncolytic Viruses are Becoming a Potent Weapon Against Cancer

Experimental cancer treatments, Medicine, Biotechnology, Clinical medicine, Oncolytic virus, Life sciences, Adenoviridae, Virus, Cancer immunotherapy, Cancer, Virotherapy, Oncolytic adenovirus
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 - 12:30pm

PALM BEACH, Florida, March 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Oncolytic viruses are becoming a new class of cancer immunotherapy weapons to combat cancer.

Key Points: 
  • PALM BEACH, Florida, March 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Oncolytic viruses are becoming a new class of cancer immunotherapy weapons to combat cancer.
  • These naturally occurring or modified viruses are a potent new weapon against cancer, according to recent reports on this growing market.
  • Oncolytic viruses are naturally occurring or genetically modified to target specific types of cancer cells.
  • The oncolytic viruses must be genetically stable and be incapable of reverting back to its wild-type form while replicating inside cancer cells.