Merck Serono Licensing Agreement

02/07/2009

                                                                   GB00B39J5N63

                             Scancell Holdings Plc                             

                    (`Scancell Holdings' or the `Company')                     

          Scancell licenses key ImmunoBody® patents from Merck Serono          

Scancell Holdings Plc, the parent company of Scancell Limited (`Scancell'), the
developer of therapeutic cancer vaccines based on its patented ImmunoBody®
platform, is pleased to announce it has signed a licensing agreement with Merck
KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, acting for its division Merck Serono, for two key
patents required for the further development and commercialisation of protein
ImmunoBody® vaccines. Under the agreement, Scancell has non-exclusive worldwide
rights to use the two patents to further develop and commercialise ImmunoBody®
vaccines in all therapeutic areas in both humans and animals.

In addition, Scancell has granted Merck Serono an option to negotiate an
exclusive license under Scancell's ImmunoBody® platform technology for up to
five Merck Serono targets.

Scancell's ImmunoBody® is a breakthrough patent-protected platform technology
that aims to overcome the current limitations of cancer vaccines by generating
the high-avidity T-cells that kill cancer cells.

By re-engineering the vector, the Immunobody® platform technology can be
adapted to provide the basis for treating any tumour type and may also be of
utility in the development of vaccines against chronic infectious diseases
including hepatitis and HIV.

Scancell's first cancer vaccine SCIB1 is being developed to treat melanoma,
with clinical trials commencing in 2010.

David Evans, chairman of Scancell, commented:

"We are delighted to have forged this association with Merck Serono. The
agreement will add further strength to Scancell's IP position, as it continues
to progress its development of therapeutic vaccines based on the Immunobody®
platform."

The Directors of the issuer accept responsibility for this announcement.

                                    -ENDS-                                     

For Further Information:

Professor Lindy Durrant         Scancell Holdings Plc    + 44 207 245 1100   
                                                                             
Adam Reynolds/Vikki Krause      Hansard Group            + 44 7515 922906    
                                                                             
Ross Andrews                    Zeus Capital             + 44 (0)161 831 1512

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 is being developed for the
treatment of melanoma and will enter clinical trials in early 2010.

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.