JACKSONVILLE, Florida, February 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
- Proprietary DNA Expression Vector Technology Developed at TapImmune's Laboratories
- PolyStart to Move into Clinical Trials and Expand TapImmune's Development Pipeline
TapImmune, Inc. (TPIV), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company specializing in the development of innovative peptide and nucleic acid-based immunotherapeutic vaccines for the treatment of cancer, including metastatic cancer, announced today that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its patent application entitled, "A chimeric nucleic acid molecule with non-AUG initiation sequences." The patent claims are for the Company's proprietary PolyStart™ technology which is a platform for the next-generation vaccine technology for the treatment of cancer or infectious diseases. It elevates the expression of any one or a multiplicity of T-cell antigenic epitopes by four (4) fold or greater.
The term of this patent extends to March 17, 2034 and its inventor is Dr. Robert Z. Florkiewicz, Head of Research at TapImmune.
"The allowed claims on this patent clearly position TapImmune to advance the clinical development of PolyStart, making it the third proprietary vaccine technology in our pipeline. We are very excited about this technology, as we believe it marks a next generation of T-cell vaccines," stated Dr. Glynn Wilson, Chairman & CEO of TapImmune.
"PolyStart has unlimited application in oncology and infectious diseases not only within TapImmune's own platforms but it can be applied to many others via licensing. As we move forward into Phase 2 trials for TPIV 200, which targets folate receptor alpha, and TPIV 100/110 our Her2/neu product, we fully expect to develop PolyStart as both a stand-alone therapy and as a 'boost strategy' to be used synergistically with our peptide-based vaccines for breast and ovarian cancer," Dr. Wilson added.
PolyStart is extremely versatile as it can be administered in vivo or ex vivo in concert with essentially any nucleic acid-based composition (e.g., plasmid or minigene), RNA, or viral (replicating or non-replicating) delivery system. The technology elevates the expression of selected antigenic epitopes that are then naturally processed, presented and recognized by cells of a recipient patients' immune system. TapImmune plans to use this technology to provide additional potency to its next generation T-cell vaccines for cancer and will explore out-licensing opportunities for its use in other areas such as infectious disease.
About PolyStart
PolyStart is a unique vaccine platform antigen expression system that 'elevates' the expression and consequently the processing and presentation of the desired antigenic peptide for the stimulation of T-killer and/or T-helper cells to recognize and kill cancer cells. This totally novel system creates a 4 (FOUR) fold or more increase in antigen presentation. This technology has unlimited application in oncology and infectious diseases not only in TapImmune's own platforms but can be applied to many others via licensing.
About TapImmune Inc.
TapImmune Inc. is an immunotherapy company specializing in the development of innovative technologies for the treatment of cancer, including metastasis, and infectious disease. The Company's peptide or nucleic acid-based immunotherapeutics, comprise one or multiple naturally processed epitopes (NPEs) designed to comprehensively stimulate a patients' killer T-cells, helper T-cells and to restore or further augment antigen presentation by using proprietary nucleic acid-based expression systems. The Company's technologies may be used as stand-alone medications or in combination with current treatment modalities. Please visit the Company's website at http://www.tapimmune.com for details.
Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer
This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this news release concerning the Company's expectations, plans, business outlook or future performance, and any other statements concerning assumptions made or expectations as to any future events, conditions, performance or other matters, are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are by their nature subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those stored in such statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to the risks set forth in the Company's most recent Form 10-K, 10-Q and other SEC filings which are available through EDGAR at www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements.
CONTACTS:
TapImmune Inc.,
Glynn Wilson, Ph.D.
Chairman & CEO
(866)-359-754
SOURCE TapImmune Inc.