Development of new vaccine for treating lung ca...

Scancell Holdings Plc                             

                         (`Scancell' or the `Company')                         

        Scancell develops new vaccine for the treatment of lung cancer         

Scancell Holdings Plc, (AIM: SCLP), the developer of therapeutic cancer
vaccines, announces that a treatment utilising a DNA vaccine based on its
ImmunoBody® technology, in combination with Homspera®, an adjuvant developed by
ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc.® has produced encouraging anti-tumour results in
animal models.

The vaccine, known as SCIB2, stimulates immune responses to the lung cancer
antigen NY-ESO-1 and may also have potential utility in oesophageal, liver,
gastric, prostate, ovarian and bladder cancers. Unlike classical adjuvants,
Homspera® did not enhance the SCIB2 systemic immune response but did make it
more effective at the tumour site. This could have profound implications for
cancer vaccine therapy

Scancell is currently conducting a Phase I clinical trial utilising its SCIB1
vaccine which is being developed for the treatment of melanoma. SCIB1 is a
novel DNA vaccine which is also being developed using Scancell's patented
ImmunoBody® technology. ImmunoBody® vaccines generate the high-avidity T-cells
that kill cancer cells.

ImmuneRegen's Homspera® has previously been found to synergise with SCIB1 in an
animal model. Additionally, previous studies have demonstrated efficacy of
Homspera® in enhancing immune responses to infectious disease vaccines, such as
influenza.

Professor Lindy Durrant, Chief Executive Officer of Scancell, commented:

"These are outstanding results for Scancell and a significant milestone for the
Company. The successful application of Scancell's ImmunoBody® technology, in
conjunction with Homspera®, provides further evidence that our ImmunoBody®
vaccine has the potentially groundbreaking ability to augment the immune
responses necessary to destroy cancer. We are delighted to be combining our
efforts with ImmuneRegen and look forward to progressing our work further at
this pivotal moment for Scancell. Shareholders will be kept fully updated with
this significant breakthrough. In addition to this highly positive news, we
have a number of other promising vaccine candidates in development, which we
hope will be the subject of further announcements in due course".

Hal Siegel Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of ImmuneRegen, commented:

"We are very pleased with our ongoing collaboration with Scancell and the
results of their studies with Homspera® in conjunction with their ImmunoBody®
technology. This is further evidence of the immunostimulatory activity of our
compound, and also demonstrates a broader anti-tumour effect than previously
reported. Furthermore, these recent studies suggest a specificity regarding the
dendritic cell activity of Homspera that is both intriguing and promising. We
are anticipating additional studies at Scancell will provide further insights
into the activity and value of Homspera as an ImmunoBody® vaccine adjuvant for
a potentially broad spectrum of therapeutic cancer treatments."

ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc.® is a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences
Holdings, Inc. (OTC BB:IRBS.OB)

For further information contact:

Scancell Holdings Plc                          + 44 (0)207 245 1100
                                                                   
Professor Lindy Durrant                                            
                                                                   
Hansard Communications                         + 44 (0)207 245 1100
                                                                   
Adam Reynolds/Guy McDougall                                        
                                                                   
Zeus Capital - Nominated Adviser               + 44 (0)161 831 1512
                                                                   
Ross Andrews/Tom Rowley                                            
                                                                   
XCAP Securities Plc - Broker                    [phone]
                                                                   
John Belliss/Parimal Kumar                                         

About Scancell

Scancell is developing novel therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of cancer
and infectious diseases based on its groundbreaking ImmunoBody® technology
platform. Scancell's first cancer vaccine SCIB1, which entered clinical trials
in 2010, is being developed for the treatment of melanoma.

Treating cancer by vaccination allows small non-toxic doses of a vaccine to be
administered to a patient, stimulating an immune response. Effective cancer
vaccines need to target dendritic cells to stimulate both parts of the cellular
immune system; the helper cell system where inflammation is stimulated at the
tumour site; and the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte or CTL response where immune system
cells are primed to recognise and kill specific cells.

A limitation of many cancer vaccines currently in development is that they
cannot specifically target dendritic cells in vivo. Several groups have
demonstrated successful vaccination by growing dendritic cells ex vivo, pulsing
them with tumour antigens and re-infusing them. However, this procedure is
patient specific, time consuming and expensive. Scancell has developed its
breakthrough patent protected ImmunoBody® technology to overcome these
limitations.

An ImmunoBody® is a human antibody or fusion protein engineered to express
helper cell and CTL epitopes from tumour antigens over-expressed by cancer
cells. Antibodies are ideal vectors for carrying T cell epitopes from tumour
antigens as they have long half-lives and can effectively target dendritic
cells via their Fc receptors, allowing efficient stimulation of both helper and
CTL responses.

The Immunobody® technology can be adapted to provide the basis for treating any
tumour type and may also be of potential utility in the development of vaccines
against hepatitis, HIV and other chronic infectious diseases.