Gothenburg, Sweden, 2015-09-07 09:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immunicum AB (publ) has signed a researchn agreement with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, in USA to supply the institution with the Company's adenovirus (Ad5PTDf35) technology.
Immunicum’s patented adenovirus vector, which is currently being evaluated in the CRISPR/Cas9 field by a research group at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, will also be used by a research group in New Jersey for the study of the effect on cancer stem cells when oncogenes, genes that give rise to cancer, are turned off.
"We are interested in studying how the exclusion of selected oncogenes using Immunicum’s adenovirus vector affects treatment resistance and survival of cancer stem cells”,. Immunicum’s technology has proven to be a good fit for achieving an effective 'gene knockdown',", said Daniel J. Medina, Associate Professor, Division of Medicinal Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey., a unit of Rutgers, faculty at tThe State University of New Jersey.
The type of cancer stem cells that is of main interest to the study, originates from so called mantle cell lymphoma.
Immunicum makes its proprietary adenovirus technology (Ad5PTDf35) available for Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and will in return receive exclusivity to evaluate and negotiate the rights to any potential discoveries that are made under the collaboration.
"We are very excited to initiate this collaboration with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, a major U.S. center for cancer research. Professor Essand’s research group at Uppsala University has already shown that the patented vector very efficiently is able to insert genes into cancer stem cells derived from prostate cancer. Thus, we have high hopes that the vector will also be able to function in "gene knockdown" of cancer stem cells from mantle cell lymphoma. The agreement should also be seen as an important step in our efforts to expand exchanges with U.S. institutions in cancer and vaccine immunotherapy research,", comments Immunicum’s CEO, Jamal El-Mosleh.
For further information, please contact:
Jamal El-Mosleh, CEO, Immunicum
Phone: +46 (0) 31 41 50 52
jamal.el-mosleh@immunicum.com
The Company’s Certified Adviser is Redeye AB
Phone: +46 (0) 8 545 013 31. www.redeye.se
About the Ad5PTDf35 adenovirus vector technology
An adenovirus vector is a virus particle that can "infect" the DNA of cells with their own genetic material. The method is used in most of the gene therapies that are sold or are under development. The Ad5PTDf35 adenovirus vector was developed by a group of researchers at the Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, and was acquired by Immunicum in October 2014. Immunicum uses the vector to load the Company's cancer immune primer SUBCUVAX with tumor antigens that enhances the body's own immune system against an emerging tumor. The vector can also be used for oncolytic treatment, to increase the immunogenicity in cancer immunotherapies and in the CRISPR/Cas9 field.
About Immunicum AB (publ)
Immunicum AB (publ) develops vaccines immunotherapies for the treatment of tumor diseases. A phase II study of the Company's most advanced project cancer immune primer - INTUVAX® against renal cancer – has been initiated. The project portfolio contains an additional clinical phase I/II project in liver cancer.