Preclinical findings demonstrate that intratumoral electroporation activates tumor neoantigen-specific immune responses
SAN DIEGO, CA, USA I April 18, 2016 I OncoSec Medical Incorporated (“OncoSec”) (ONCS), a company developing DNA-based intratumoral cancer immunotherapies, announced that preclinical data from its collaboration with Heat Biologics, Inc. (“Heat”) focused on evaluating the combination of immunotherapy platforms were presented yesterday at the American Conference for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting (www.aacr.org).
In the poster entitled “In vivo intra-tumoral electroporation of gp96-Ig/Fc-OX40L stimulates CD8+ T cell cross-priming to tumor specific neoantigens” (Abstract #567), researchers concluded that combining Heat’s ComPACT vaccine with OncoSec’s intratumoral DNA electroporation delivery platform stimulated an expansion of neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells, leading to a regression in both treated and untreated cancer lesions in two mouse studies (melanoma and colorectal cancer). OncoSec and Heat announced their collaboration last year to evaluate the preclinical efficacy of delivering Heat’s immunotherapy vaccines via OncoSec’s ImmunoPulse™ platform.
“We are excited by our collaboration with Heat and by these initial findings. The ability of the tumor’s microenvironment to evade immune recognition and remain non-immunogenic is a significant challenge, which we believe needs to be addressed when designing new immuno-therapies,” said Robert H. Pierce, MD, OncoSec’s Chief Scientific Officer. “The initial feasibility data between our two platforms are encouraging and we are currently exploring the potential synergy between our platforms with both ComPACT and interleukin-12 expressing plasmids.”
“In this first preclinical study demonstrating the feasibility of electroporating ComPACT DNA plasmids, we saw robust neoantigen T cell response and tumor regression in both treated and untreated tumors, indicating a systemic anti-tumor response that could be reflective of what we might see in metastatic lesions,” said Taylor Schreiber, MD, PhD, Heat’s Chief Scientific Officer. “We believe that this approach is promising and that further studies are merited, especially as this combination approach has the potential to stimulate shared and private tumor antigens without introducing the complexities associated with personalized therapies.”
Copies of the abstract are available and can be viewed online through the AACR website at www.aacr.org. The poster is available in the Publications section of OncoSec’s website.
About OncoSec Medical Incorporated
OncoSec is a biotechnology company developing DNA-based intratumoral immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. The Company’s investigational technology, ImmunoPulse™, is designed to enhance the local delivery and uptake of DNA-based immune-targeting agents, such as interleukin-12 (IL-12). In Phase I and II clinical trials, OncoSec’s lead program, ImmunoPulse™ IL-12, demonstrated a favorable safety profile and evidence of anti-tumor activity in the treatment of various skin cancers as well as the potential to initiate a systemic immune response. ImmunoPulse™ IL-12 is currently in clinical development for several indications, including metastatic melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer. In addition to ImmunoPulse™ IL-12, the Company is also seeking to identify and develop new immune-targeting agents for use with the ImmunoPulse™ platform. For more information, please visit www.oncosec.com.
About Heat Biologics, Inc.
Heat Biologics, Inc. (HTBX) is an immuno-oncology company developing novel therapies that activate a patient’s immune system against cancer. Heat’s highly specific T cell-stimulating platform technologies, ImPACT and ComPACT, form the basis of its product candidates. These platforms, in combination with other therapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, are designed to address three distinct but synergistic mechanisms of action: robust activation of CD8+ “killer” T cells (one of the human immune system’s most potent weapons against cancer); reversal of tumor-induced immune suppression; and T cell co-stimulation to further enhance patients’ immune response. Currently, Heat is conducting a Phase 2 trial with its HS-410 (vesigenurtacel-L) in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and a Phase 1b trial with its HS-110 (viagenpumatucel-L) in combination with an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor to treat patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For more information, please visit www.heatbio.com.
SOURCE: OncoSec
Post Views: 230
Preclinical findings demonstrate that intratumoral electroporation activates tumor neoantigen-specific immune responses
SAN DIEGO, CA, USA I April 18, 2016 I OncoSec Medical Incorporated (“OncoSec”) (ONCS), a company developing DNA-based intratumoral cancer immunotherapies, announced that preclinical data from its collaboration with Heat Biologics, Inc. (“Heat”) focused on evaluating the combination of immunotherapy platforms were presented yesterday at the American Conference for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting (www.aacr.org).
In the poster entitled “In vivo intra-tumoral electroporation of gp96-Ig/Fc-OX40L stimulates CD8+ T cell cross-priming to tumor specific neoantigens” (Abstract #567), researchers concluded that combining Heat’s ComPACT vaccine with OncoSec’s intratumoral DNA electroporation delivery platform stimulated an expansion of neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells, leading to a regression in both treated and untreated cancer lesions in two mouse studies (melanoma and colorectal cancer). OncoSec and Heat announced their collaboration last year to evaluate the preclinical efficacy of delivering Heat’s immunotherapy vaccines via OncoSec’s ImmunoPulse™ platform.
“We are excited by our collaboration with Heat and by these initial findings. The ability of the tumor’s microenvironment to evade immune recognition and remain non-immunogenic is a significant challenge, which we believe needs to be addressed when designing new immuno-therapies,” said Robert H. Pierce, MD, OncoSec’s Chief Scientific Officer. “The initial feasibility data between our two platforms are encouraging and we are currently exploring the potential synergy between our platforms with both ComPACT and interleukin-12 expressing plasmids.”
“In this first preclinical study demonstrating the feasibility of electroporating ComPACT DNA plasmids, we saw robust neoantigen T cell response and tumor regression in both treated and untreated tumors, indicating a systemic anti-tumor response that could be reflective of what we might see in metastatic lesions,” said Taylor Schreiber, MD, PhD, Heat’s Chief Scientific Officer. “We believe that this approach is promising and that further studies are merited, especially as this combination approach has the potential to stimulate shared and private tumor antigens without introducing the complexities associated with personalized therapies.”
Copies of the abstract are available and can be viewed online through the AACR website at www.aacr.org. The poster is available in the Publications section of OncoSec’s website.
About OncoSec Medical Incorporated
OncoSec is a biotechnology company developing DNA-based intratumoral immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. The Company’s investigational technology, ImmunoPulse™, is designed to enhance the local delivery and uptake of DNA-based immune-targeting agents, such as interleukin-12 (IL-12). In Phase I and II clinical trials, OncoSec’s lead program, ImmunoPulse™ IL-12, demonstrated a favorable safety profile and evidence of anti-tumor activity in the treatment of various skin cancers as well as the potential to initiate a systemic immune response. ImmunoPulse™ IL-12 is currently in clinical development for several indications, including metastatic melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer. In addition to ImmunoPulse™ IL-12, the Company is also seeking to identify and develop new immune-targeting agents for use with the ImmunoPulse™ platform. For more information, please visit www.oncosec.com.
About Heat Biologics, Inc.
Heat Biologics, Inc. (HTBX) is an immuno-oncology company developing novel therapies that activate a patient’s immune system against cancer. Heat’s highly specific T cell-stimulating platform technologies, ImPACT and ComPACT, form the basis of its product candidates. These platforms, in combination with other therapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, are designed to address three distinct but synergistic mechanisms of action: robust activation of CD8+ “killer” T cells (one of the human immune system’s most potent weapons against cancer); reversal of tumor-induced immune suppression; and T cell co-stimulation to further enhance patients’ immune response. Currently, Heat is conducting a Phase 2 trial with its HS-410 (vesigenurtacel-L) in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and a Phase 1b trial with its HS-110 (viagenpumatucel-L) in combination with an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor to treat patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For more information, please visit www.heatbio.com.
SOURCE: OncoSec
Post Views: 230
