Compugen Ltd. (NASDAQ:
CGEN), a leading predictive drug discovery company, today announced
that it has obtained rights to use in-house certain biological systems
and materials, developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health
(NIH), for purposes of advancing the research and development of the
Company’s multiple immuno-oncology programs toward future clinical
evaluation.
The experimental systems and biological materials obtained from the NIH
enable the engineering of human T cells to specifically recognize tumor
antigens on cancer cells. Utilizing this system, with the expression of
specific Compugen-discovered immune checkpoint candidates on the surface
of human cancer cells, or immune T cells, will strengthen Compugen’s
evaluation abilities of the effect of such immune checkpoints on
anti-tumor immune response. The NIH biological systems and materials are
expected to facilitate robust and reproducible validation of Compugen’s
multiple immune checkpoint target candidates and to enhance the
identification of functional therapeutic antibodies and selection of
lead antibodies for future clinical evaluation.
Dr. Anat Cohen-Dayag, President and Chief Executive Officer of Compugen,
stated, “We are pleased to have access to these robust experimental
systems and materials developed by NIH scientists, which will enhance
our immuno-oncology capabilities and enable extensive testing of human
antibodies. In addition, Compugen has obtained the right from the NIH to
utilize a cell line that will allow the use of tumor syngeneic models
that will also serve as part of Compugen’s suite of preclinical studies.
Together with our recent collaboration with Johns Hopkins University,
these new capabilities provide us with a broader base to swiftly advance
in parallel multiple immune checkpoint programs toward the development
of first-in-class biologics.”
About Compugen
Compugen is a leading predictive drug discovery company focused on
monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins to address important
unmet needs in the fields of oncology and immunology. The Company
utilizes a broad and continuously growing integrated infrastructure of
proprietary scientific understandings and predictive platforms,
algorithms, machine learning systems and other computational biology
capabilities for the in silico (by computer) prediction and
selection of novel drug target candidates, which are then advanced in
its Pipeline Program. The discovery and development of monoclonal
antibody therapeutic candidates against selected Compugen-discovered
novel target candidates is performed by Compugen’s wholly-owned US
subsidiary located in South San Francisco. The Company's business model
includes collaborations covering the further development and
commercialization of product candidates at various stages from its
Pipeline Program and various forms of research and discovery agreements,
in both cases providing Compugen with potential milestone payments and
royalties on product sales or other forms of revenue sharing. For
additional information, please visit Compugen's corporate website at www.cgen.com.
Forward Looking Statement This press release contains
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as “will,”
“may,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” and “intends,” and describe
opinions about future events. These forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of Compugen to be materially
different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these risks
include: that Compugen’s business model is substantially dependent on
entering into collaboration agreements with third parties and may not be
successful in generating revenues, and that the development and
commercialization of therapeutic products includes many inherent risks,
including failure to receive regulatory approval. These and other
factors are more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of
Compugen’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as well as other documents that may
be subsequently filed by Compugen from time to time with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. In addition, any forward-looking statements
represent Compugen’s views only as of the date of this release and
should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent
date. Compugen does not assume any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements unless required by law.
Copyright Business Wire 2015