LUND, Sweden I April 14, 2015 I BioInvent International (OMXS: BINV), a biotech company developing novel antibody therapeutics for treatment of cancer, and the University of Southampton today announced that the April 13, 2015 online issue of the highly prestigious cancer research journal Cancer Cell features groundbreaking findings that resistance to many types of antibody drugs can be overcome by preventing cancer cells from ‘hiding’ from immune cells. The research was carried out by BioInvent and by scientists at the University of Southampton.
The research, which was partly funded by Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research and Cancer Research UK, have shown that some cancer cells are able to draw monoclonal antibodies inside themselves, making them invisible to immune cells. However, the researchers showed that a new antibody developed by BioInvent, called BI-1206, can effectively prevent this drug destruction process and enhance cancer killing by binding to a molecule called FcgRIIB. BI-1206 showed success in mice in overcoming resistance to monoclonal antibodies like rituximab, currently used to treat different types of lymphoma and leukaemia. BI-1206 is currently in preclinical development and scheduled to enter Phase I/II clinical testing later this year.
“With more monoclonal antibody treatments being developed, there is an urgent need to understand how tumours become resistant to them and develop ways to overcome it. Not only does BI-1206 appear to be able to reverse resistance to a range of monoclonal antibodies, it is also effective at directly killing cancer cells itself”, said Mark Cragg, Professor at SOTON and co-senior author on the paper.
The collaboration was initiated at a Keystone conference in 2009, and has since been led by Dr Björn Frendéus and Dr Ingrid Teige at BioInvent and Professor Mark Cragg and Dr Ali Roghanian at the University of Southampton.
“The collaboration has been extremely rewarding and important for BioInvent’s transition towards becoming an important player in the immuno-oncology space and in development of antibody based cancer immunotherapies. BI-1206 binds very specifically to the inhibitory Fc gamma receptor IIB (ICAM-1), a receptor that acts as a brake to dampen critical anti-cancer immune cell’s (macrophages) function and to eliminate therapeutic antibodies from the targeted tumour cell surface, both processes reducing efficacy and promoting drug resistance. We are hopeful that the strong preclinical data can be translated into clinically meaningful responses, and look forward to entering clinical testing later this year”, said Björn Frendéus, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of BioInvent and co-senior author on the paper.
Michael Oredsson, CEO of BioInvent, said, “BI-1206 is one of several immune modulatory antibodies that BioInvent is developing for treatment of cancer. The first in man study is a signal-seeking study designed to demonstrate the safety of BI-1206, when used alone or in combination with rituximab, and to explore its potential efficacy in treatment of B cell malignancy. I am very pleased with the strong translational collaboration with the University of Southampton, led by Professors Martin Glennie and Mark Cragg and their distinguished clinical colleagues Professor Peter Johnson and Dr Andrew Davies”.
To the editors:
BI-1206 is referred to in the Cancer Cell paper as 6G11.
About BioInvent
BioInvent International AB is a research-based pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative antibody-based drugs against cancer.
The company has unique expertise in antibody drug development from initial concept to late clinical phase. The screening tool, F.I.R.S.T.TM, and the antibody library, n-CoDeR®, are two patented tools that enable identification of relevant human antibodies and disease targets during the discovery phase. BioInvent has also considerable experience in and a facility for process development and production of antibodies for clinical studies. The scope and strength of this platform is also used to develop antibody-based drugs in collaboration with partners who finance the development of the new drug, and provide BioInvent with the right to milestone payments and royalties on sales. These partners include Bayer Pharma, Daiichi Sankyo, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Servier and Xoma. More information is available at www.bioinvent.com.
About University of Southampton
Through world-leading research and enterprise activities, the University of Southampton connects with businesses to create real-world solutions to global issues. Through its educational offering, it works with partners around the world to offer relevant, flexible education, which trains students for jobs not even thought of. This connectivity is what sets Southampton apart from the rest; we make connections and change the world.
The cure for cancer? You’re it
The University of Southampton has launched a campaign to raise £25m to open the UK’s first dedicated Centre for Cancer Immunology. Find out more about it at www.southampton.ac.uk/youreit
About Cancer Research UK
· Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
· Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
· Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated.
· Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
· Today, 2 in 4 people survive cancer. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that 3 in 4 people will survive cancer within the next 20 years.
· Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
· Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
SOURCE: BioInvent
Post Views: 50
LUND, Sweden I April 14, 2015 I BioInvent International (OMXS: BINV), a biotech company developing novel antibody therapeutics for treatment of cancer, and the University of Southampton today announced that the April 13, 2015 online issue of the highly prestigious cancer research journal Cancer Cell features groundbreaking findings that resistance to many types of antibody drugs can be overcome by preventing cancer cells from ‘hiding’ from immune cells. The research was carried out by BioInvent and by scientists at the University of Southampton.
The research, which was partly funded by Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research and Cancer Research UK, have shown that some cancer cells are able to draw monoclonal antibodies inside themselves, making them invisible to immune cells. However, the researchers showed that a new antibody developed by BioInvent, called BI-1206, can effectively prevent this drug destruction process and enhance cancer killing by binding to a molecule called FcgRIIB. BI-1206 showed success in mice in overcoming resistance to monoclonal antibodies like rituximab, currently used to treat different types of lymphoma and leukaemia. BI-1206 is currently in preclinical development and scheduled to enter Phase I/II clinical testing later this year.
“With more monoclonal antibody treatments being developed, there is an urgent need to understand how tumours become resistant to them and develop ways to overcome it. Not only does BI-1206 appear to be able to reverse resistance to a range of monoclonal antibodies, it is also effective at directly killing cancer cells itself”, said Mark Cragg, Professor at SOTON and co-senior author on the paper.
The collaboration was initiated at a Keystone conference in 2009, and has since been led by Dr Björn Frendéus and Dr Ingrid Teige at BioInvent and Professor Mark Cragg and Dr Ali Roghanian at the University of Southampton.
“The collaboration has been extremely rewarding and important for BioInvent’s transition towards becoming an important player in the immuno-oncology space and in development of antibody based cancer immunotherapies. BI-1206 binds very specifically to the inhibitory Fc gamma receptor IIB (ICAM-1), a receptor that acts as a brake to dampen critical anti-cancer immune cell’s (macrophages) function and to eliminate therapeutic antibodies from the targeted tumour cell surface, both processes reducing efficacy and promoting drug resistance. We are hopeful that the strong preclinical data can be translated into clinically meaningful responses, and look forward to entering clinical testing later this year”, said Björn Frendéus, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of BioInvent and co-senior author on the paper.
Michael Oredsson, CEO of BioInvent, said, “BI-1206 is one of several immune modulatory antibodies that BioInvent is developing for treatment of cancer. The first in man study is a signal-seeking study designed to demonstrate the safety of BI-1206, when used alone or in combination with rituximab, and to explore its potential efficacy in treatment of B cell malignancy. I am very pleased with the strong translational collaboration with the University of Southampton, led by Professors Martin Glennie and Mark Cragg and their distinguished clinical colleagues Professor Peter Johnson and Dr Andrew Davies”.
To the editors:
BI-1206 is referred to in the Cancer Cell paper as 6G11.
About BioInvent
BioInvent International AB is a research-based pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative antibody-based drugs against cancer.
The company has unique expertise in antibody drug development from initial concept to late clinical phase. The screening tool, F.I.R.S.T.TM, and the antibody library, n-CoDeR®, are two patented tools that enable identification of relevant human antibodies and disease targets during the discovery phase. BioInvent has also considerable experience in and a facility for process development and production of antibodies for clinical studies. The scope and strength of this platform is also used to develop antibody-based drugs in collaboration with partners who finance the development of the new drug, and provide BioInvent with the right to milestone payments and royalties on sales. These partners include Bayer Pharma, Daiichi Sankyo, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Servier and Xoma. More information is available at www.bioinvent.com.
About University of Southampton
Through world-leading research and enterprise activities, the University of Southampton connects with businesses to create real-world solutions to global issues. Through its educational offering, it works with partners around the world to offer relevant, flexible education, which trains students for jobs not even thought of. This connectivity is what sets Southampton apart from the rest; we make connections and change the world.
The cure for cancer? You’re it
The University of Southampton has launched a campaign to raise £25m to open the UK’s first dedicated Centre for Cancer Immunology. Find out more about it at www.southampton.ac.uk/youreit
About Cancer Research UK
· Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
· Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
· Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated.
· Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
· Today, 2 in 4 people survive cancer. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that 3 in 4 people will survive cancer within the next 20 years.
· Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
· Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
SOURCE: BioInvent
Post Views: 50
