OncoSec Medical Inc. (OTCQB: ONCS),
a company developing DNA-based intratumoral cancer immunotherapies,
today announced a preclinical collaboration with Plexxikon Inc., a
member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group and leader in the discovery and
development of novel small molecule pharmaceuticals, to test the
combination of Plexxikon’s selective CSF-1R inhibitor with OncoSec’s
Immunopulse pIL-12.
OncoSec’s Chief Scientific Officer, Robert H. Pierce, M.D., said:
“Plexxikon is on the cutting edge of developing potent, highly-selective
small molecule inhibitors of CSF-1R, a key cell surface receptor, which
controls macrophage development and function. Intratumoral macrophages
and other related cell types, like myeloid-derived suppressor cells, can
be strongly immunosuppressive and block anti-tumor immunity. Given our
understanding of IL-12 as a potent driver of immunogenicity and
tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the potential role of
tumor-resident myeloid cells in suppressing the anti-tumor effects of
TILs, we hypothesize that blocking CSF-1R with Plexxikon’s selective
CSF-1R inhibitor will lead to synergistic effects in the syngeneic
B16.F10 melanoma mouse model.”
Mai H. Le, M.D., OncoSec’s Chief Medical Officer, commented:
“Combination immune therapies, whether small molecules or biologics,
will be the norm in the future. There is already considerable discussion
in the oncology community regarding the need to find a rational approach
to guide immune-focused combinations in the clinic. These initial
studies are designed to test the rationale of our combination approach.”
Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is an inflammatory cytokine that is believed to
be a master regulator of the immune system, and is important in the
up-regulation of both the innate and adaptive immune responses. IL-12 is
a key driver of the cascade of biological events which ultimately lead
to T-cell-specific killing of cancer cells. Moreover, cytokines and
chemokines induced by this pathway also increase the recruitment of
inflammatory T-cells into tumors.
ImmunoPulse is a proprietary investigational electroporation device that
delivers plasmid IL-12 DNA directly into tumors. By locally delivering
and expressing IL-12, ImmunoPulse drives a strong anti-tumor immune
response, which can lead not only to local tumor regression, but also
systemic anti-tumor responses, while avoiding toxicities caused by
systemic administration of IL-12. Recent interim data from OncoSec’s
ongoing Phase II clinical study in melanoma have demonstrated that local
delivery of IL-12 by electroporation increases the production of
cytokines like IFN-γ, resulting in increased expression of genes related
to the processes required for cytotoxic CD8+ T cells to recognize and
kill cancer cells.
About PLX’s highly-specific small molecule inhibitors of CSF-1R
Plexxikon is currently exploring the role of CSF-1R-targeted immune
therapy as a sensitizer to chemo- and radiation-therapy, in addition to
its potential to augment response to complementary immunotherapies.
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 a favorable 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 clinical 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