First Collaboration Agreement for AvidiMab

RNS Number : 1118L

Scancell Holdings Plc

04 September 2019

 

4 September 2019

Scancell Holdings plc

("Scancell" or the "Company")

Scancell signs first collaboration agreement for its new platform technology, AvidiMab™, with leading antibody technology company

Platform to potentially increase the potency of any therapeutic monoclonal antibody

Scancell, the developer of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, is pleased to announce that it has signed its first collaboration and non-exclusive research agreement with a leading antibody technology company to assess its pipeline of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting tumour-associated glycans (TaGs) that have been enhanced with its new proprietary AvidiMab™ technology.

As previously announced over the last year, Scancell has been building its pipeline of mAbs as potential novel target cancer treatments. Most mAbs for the treatment of cancer target proteins on the cancer cell surface and subsequently mediate an immune response to eliminate that cell. However, there remains an unmet need for new and improved therapeutic targets, as well as improved approaches to mediate cell killing. All cells are covered by a dense layer of sugar structures, called glycans, which change when a normal cell turns into a cancer cell. TaGs are glycan motifs that are associated with tumour malignancies and these can be targeted by antibodies. Scancell's development pipeline includes mAbs against specific TaGs with superior affinity and selectivity profiles, that have now been further engineered using the Company's AvidiMab™ technology; this confers the Scancell anti-TaG mAbs with the ability to directly kill tumour cells.

AvidiMab™ has broad potential to increase the avidity or potency of any therapeutic monoclonal antibody including those being developed for autoimmune diseases, as well as cancer. A patent application has been filed that seeks broad protection for the AvidiMab^TM technology. This is Scancell's third proprietary platform technology, after ImmunoBody^® and Moditope^®, in the field of immunotherapy.

Under the terms of the collaboration and research agreement, Scancell and its partner will evaluate the potential of anti-TaG mAbs, enhanced with AvidiMab™, in various formats including, antibody drug conjugates, bispecific antibodies, as well as stand-alone antibody products.

Dr Cliff Holloway, Chief Executive Officer, Scancell, commented:

"We are pleased to be able to report significant progress on our monoclonal antibody pipeline, having only licensed the technology into the company just over a year ago from the University of Nottingham. Our first collaboration and evaluation agreement with one of the major players in the antibody development field is a significant achievement in such a short period of time and we believe our novel AvidiMab™ enhanced cell killing platform has broad partnering potential."

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR).

For Further Information:

Scancell Holdings plc
Dr John Chiplin, Chairman		[phone]
Dr Cliff Holloway, CEO
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited (Nominated Adviser and Corporate broker)
Freddy Crossley/Emma Earl		[phone]
FTI Consulting Simon Conway/Natalie Garland-Collins		[phone]

About Scancell

Scancell is developing novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer based on its ImmunoBody® and Moditope® technology platforms.

ImmunoBody® vaccines target dendritic cells and stimulate both parts of the cellular immune system. They have the potential to be used as monotherapy or in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and other agents. This platform has the potential to enhance tumour destruction, prevent disease recurrence and extend survival.

·      SCIB1, the lead programme, is being developed for the treatment of melanoma. A phase 1/2 clinical trial has so far successfully demonstrated survival data of more than five years.

·      SCIB2 is being developed for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and other solid tumours. Scancell has entered into a clinical development partnership with Cancer Research UK (CRUK) for SCIB2.

Moditope® represents a completely new class of potent and selective immunotherapy agents based on stress-induced post-translational modifications (siPTM). It stimulates the production of killer CD4 T cells which overcome the immune suppression induced by tumours, allowing activated T cells to seek out and kill tumour cells that would otherwise be hidden from the immune system. Moditope® alone, or in combination with other agents, has the potential to treat a wide variety of cancers.

·      Modi-1 is being developed for the treatment of solid tumours including triple negative breast cancer, ovarian cancer and head and neck cancer.

For further details, please see our website:  www.scancell.co.uk

 

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