OncoSec Medical Inc. (OTCQB:ONCS),
a company developing DNA-based intratumoral cancer immunotherapies,
along with researchers at Old Dominion University (ODU) and Eastern
Virginia Medical School (EVMS), has received a $585,000 grant from the
Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC) to study a
novel gene therapy approach for the treatment of malignant melanoma.
The study, titled “Biomarker-Driven Optimization of IL-12 Gene
Electrotransfer for the Treatment of Melanoma,” aims to identify
specific diagnostic markers in circulation that characterize successful
electro-transfer therapy of DNA-encoded IL-12 in patients with melanoma.
“Right now,” stated Dr. Robert H. Pierce, Chief Scientific Officer of
OncoSec, “we have to wait to observe local and systemic clinical tumor
regressions to know if a given treatment cycle ‘has worked’. If we had
in our hands a near real-time blood-based biomarker, which indicated the
success of a treatment and its relative strength, then we could quickly
optimize and accelerate our development. Hopefully, we can find a
biomarker approach that is generalizable – beyond IL-12 — to all of our
future intratumoral gene-electro transfer targets.”
O. John Semmes, Ph.D., Anthem Distinguished Professor for Cancer
Research and Director of the Leroy T. Canoles Jr. Cancer Research
Center, will lead a team at EVMS in identifying specific biomarkers that
indicate the presence and extent of a response to DNA IL-12 therapy.
This insight will guide efforts to determine a dosing strategy that
elicits the most effective anti-tumor response with the fewest
undesirable side effects.
Dr. Semmes said, “We want to pick up an expression pattern of proteins
that will tell us a strong IL-12 response has been generated. Once we
have that, we can ask what happens when you change the dose.”
Richard Heller, Ph.D., Reidy Center Director and Professor/Eminent
Scholar of the School of Medical Diagnostics and Translational Sciences
at Old Dominion University’s College of Health Sciences, will serve as
principal investigator for the study. Dr. Heller is an inventor of the
pIL-12 protocol being used in the study and is recognized as a pioneer
in the field of gene-electro therapy.
“This is an excellent opportunity to move this technology forward in a
manner that will be beneficial to a larger number of patients,” said Dr.
Heller. “I am looking forward to working with Dr. Semmes and his team at
EVMS and Dr. Pierce and his team at OncoSec on this exciting and ground
breaking project.”
About Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics
The mission of the Center is to increase scientific knowledge and
understanding of the interaction of electromagnetic fields and ionized
gases with biological cells and to apply this knowledge to the
development of medical diagnostics, therapeutics, and environmental
decontamination. The objectives of the Center are to perform leading
edge interdisciplinary and multi-institutional research, recruit top
faculty and exceptional graduate students, support regional, national
and international programs, and to increase external funding and
institutional visibility.
About Leroy T. Canoles Jr. Cancer Research Center
The EVMS Leroy T. Canoles Jr. Cancer Research Center is dedicated to
translational research that leads to improved care for the types of
cancer most prevalent in our community. Clinicians and scientists
collaborate to connect the laboratory and the physician's office. The
center’s scientists seek to expand research into new diagnostic and
therapeutic tools as a means to improve physicians’ ability to identify
the best course of treatment for each patient.
About OncoSec Medical
OncoSec Medical Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing its
investigational ImmunoPulse intratumoral cancer immunotherapy. OncoSec
Medical's core technology is designed to enhance the local delivery and
uptake of DNA IL-12 and other DNA-based immune-targeting agents.
Clinical studies of ImmunoPulse have demonstrated an acceptable safety
profile and preliminary evidence of anti-tumor activity in the treatment
of various skin cancers, as well as the potential to initiate a systemic
immune response without the systemic toxicities associated with other
treatments. OncoSec's lead program evaluating ImmunoPulse for the
treatment of metastatic melanoma is currently in Phase 2 development,
and is being conducted in collaboration with several prominent academic
medical centers. As the company continues to evaluate ImmunoPulse in its
current indications, it is also focused on identifying and developing
new immune-targeting agents, investigating additional tumor indications,
and evaluating combination-based immunotherapy approaches. For more
information, please visit www.oncosec.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Any statements in this release that are not historical facts may be
considered such “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements
are based on management’s current preliminary expectations and are
subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause our results to
differ materially and adversely from the statements contained herein.
Some of the potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ from those predicted include our ability to raise
additional funding, our ability to acquire, develop or commercialize new
products, uncertainties inherent in pre-clinical studies and clinical
trials, unexpected new data, safety and technical issues, competition,
and market conditions. These and additional risks and uncertainties are
more fully described in OncoSec Medical’s filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Undue reliance should not be placed on
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are
made. OncoSec Medical disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or
circumstances after the date they are made, or to reflect the occurrence
of unanticipated events.
Copyright Business Wire 2014