ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 11, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MacroGenics, Inc. (Nasdaq:MGNX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announced the online publication of data on the isolation of cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) from human adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) of the lung in the journal PLOS ONE. This research contributes to the expanding repertoire of model CSLC lines identified and characterized by MacroGenics and increases the number of important models from which MacroGenics can generate antibody-based drug candidates.

"Our Cancer Stem-like Cell Platform provides a unique discovery tool to identify cancer targets shared both by tumor-initiating cells and the differentiated cancer cells derived from them," said Scott Koenig, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of MacroGenics. "Ongoing research at MacroGenics furthers our understanding of cancer stem cell biology and its significance in oncology treatment based on the role of these cells in tumor re-growth and metastasis."

In the publication, Isolation of Cancer Stem Like Cells from Human Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Lung Supports a Monoclonal Origin from a Multipotential Tissue Stem Cell, investigators from MacroGenics describe CSLCs isolated from patients with ASC of the lung using defined serum-free culture conditions. ASC is a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a cancer characterized by tumors that contain cells with both squamous and adenocarcinoma (AC) histological phenotypes. The isolated CSLCs display the properties of self-renewal, tumorigenicity, metastasis and the potential to undergo multi-lineage differentiation, all of which are associated with cancer stem cells. This research furthers the hypothesis that ASC tumors arise from a monoclonal origin derived from a common, as yet unidentified, precursor.

About MacroGenics' Cancer Stem-like Cell Platform

MacroGenics' CSLC platform provides new approaches to discover and identify cancer targets that are unresponsive to current therapies. Using this technology, the company can create antibodies or antibody-derived molecules that target cancer stem cells, potentially enabling the company to address the large, unmet medical need associated with many cancers that are difficult to treat. MacroGenics has utilized its CSLC platform to generate or characterize the antibodies used in its MGA271 and MGD007 product candidates.

About MacroGenics, Inc.

MacroGenics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company generates its pipeline of product candidates from its proprietary suite of next-generation antibody technology platforms, which it believes improve the performance of monoclonal antibodies and antibody-derived molecules. The company creates both differentiated molecules that are directed to novel cancer targets, as well as "bio-betters," which are drugs designed to improve upon marketed medicines. The combination of MacroGenics' technology platforms and antibody engineering expertise has allowed the company to generate promising product candidates and enter into several strategic collaborations with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. www.macrogenics.com

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