VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 7, 2015 / Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Corporation ("APC" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: APC) (0E8.F) is pleased to announce the first results of testing a triple combination of immunotherapies in animal models. These preliminary tests were carried out in conjunction with its academic collaborators.
The tests compared the effects of the triple combination on tumor retardation and tumor free survival in an animal study with those of an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, a 41-BB antibody, or APC 104, separately, as well as in the various double combinations. The triple combination proved to be superior in retarding growth of tumors from implanted CMS5 tumor cells as well as increasing tumor free survival.
Tumor free survival (TFS) was recorded in eight cohorts of mice over several weeks. Tumor free survival was 80% in mice treated with the triple combination (group 8) at the endpoint of the study. By contrast, during the same period, TFS varied in the other groups involving the administration of single entities and double combinations from 0% (group 2), 20% (group 3), 40% (groups 4, 5) to 60% (groups 6, 7). Untreated mice (group 1) did not survive beyond 3 weeks.
These tests feature APC 104 in combination with both a checkpoint inhibitor (an anti-CTLA-4 antibody) and the co-stimulatory molecule 41-BB. The latter is known to increase the proliferation of immune cells capable of killing tumor cells and to enhance tumor rejection. APC 104 is a molecule which has been designed to increase the duration of action of APC's protein delivery system to tumors.
The recent clinical success of immunotherapies that interfere with immune checkpoint receptors has resulted in a surge of interest in immunotherapy as a mainstream form of cancer treatment. However, checkpoint inhibition alone, which releases the brakes on the immune system, although strikingly effective in specific subsets of patients, is not sufficient to promote tumor regression in a majority of patients.
Generating a robust therapeutic immune response requires not only releasing the "brakes" on the immune system with checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, but also stepping on the "gas" to activate "killer" immune cells bearing co-stimulatory molecules to eradicate tumors. Thus, combinations with checkpoint inhibitors and co-stimulatory molecules plus novel immunotherapeutics such as APC's agents, are being tested with the goal of extending immunotherapies to a broader patient population.
Allen Krantz, APC's President and CEO commented, "APC has embarked upon a campaign to advance its anticancer programs to the cutting edge of immunotherapy R&D en route to clinical status. It is very encouraging to the Company that in these very first tests of an APC compound combined with multiple immunotherapies just a single dose of APC 104 can exhibit such effects. The Company is aggressively following up to reinforce these results and exploit them in contexts predictive of the greatest clinical impact."
About APC
APC has been applying its Foundation Trinity(TM) Technology to proteins targeted for the treatment of cancers. Advanced targeted therapies are designed to attack primarily cancer cells and are expected to dominate the anti-cancer therapeutics' market in the near future. The Company's goals are not only to employ therapy targeted for tumor cells, but also to deliver combination therapy in a single, pure therapeutic agent, that can also, in turn, be combined with additional agents to enhance therapies.
To achieve this end, it has been the Company's intention to utilize a unique protein (and related systems), not only as a delivery vehicle to tumor cells, but also as a scaffold upon which to attach each anti-cancer entity to its own specific site on the protein surface -- both key to efficient manufacturing and product development. The protein vehicle has emerged as a potential immunotherapeutic as it is implicated in activating the immune system to attack and help clear tumor cells. Immunotherapy is perhaps the most powerful current approach to cancer, and one of great commercial interest to the pharmaceutical industry.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Alexander (Allen) Krantz
President and Chief Executive Officer
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Corporation
Alexander (Allen) Krantz
President and Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (617) 638-0340
http://www.advancedproteome.com
Scott Young
Investor Relations
Tel: (705) 888-2756
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release involve risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various important factors including timely development and acceptance of new products, gaining product approval, successful entry into new markets, changes in financing conditions, and changes in FDA regulations.
SOURCE: Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Corporation
