20 October 2011
Scancell Holdings plc
(`Scancell' or `the Company')
Patent awarded for SCIB1
Scancell Holdings plc, (AIM: SCLP), the developer of therapeutic cancer
vaccines, announces that a composition of matter patent (European Patent number
2193803) has been granted for the Company's lead vaccine, SCIB1. SCIB1 is being
developed for the treatment of melanoma and is currently in Phase I clinical
trials. It is an innovative DNA vaccine being developed using Scancell's
ImmunoBody® technology. This patent will protect the unique composition of the
vaccine until March 2028.
Dr. Richard Goodfellow, Joint Chief Executive of Scancell, commented:
"This patent grant is a further important step in the development and
commercialisation of SCIB1. Scancell will continue building its growing
portfolio of intellectual property in parallel with driving the clinical trial
programme forward during 2012".
For further information contact:
Scancell Holdings Plc + 44 (0)207 245 1100*
Professor Lindy Durrant/Dr Richard Goodfellow
Hansard Group (Financial PR) + 44 (0)207 245 1100
Adam Reynolds/Guy McDougall
Zeus Capital - Nominated Adviser + 44 (0)161 831 1512
Ross Andrews/Tom Rowley
XCAP Securities Plc - Broker +44 (0) 207 101 7070
John Belliss/Adrian Kirk
*this number will direct callers to Hansard Group, at the Company's request.
About Scancell
Scancell is developing novel therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of cancer
and infectious diseases based on its groundbreaking ImmunoBody® technology
platform. Scancell's first cancer vaccine SCIB1, which entered clinical trials
in 2010, is being developed for the treatment of melanoma.
Treating cancer by vaccination allows small non-toxic doses of a vaccine to be
administered to a patient, stimulating an immune response. Effective cancer
vaccines need to target dendritic cells to stimulate both parts of the cellular
immune system; the helper cell system where inflammation is stimulated at the
tumour site; and the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte or CTL response where immune system
cells are primed to recognise and kill specific cells.
A limitation of many cancer vaccines currently in development is that they
cannot specifically target dendritic cells in vivo. Several groups have
demonstrated successful vaccination by growing dendritic cells ex vivo, pulsing
them with tumour antigens and re-infusing them. However, this procedure is
patient specific, time consuming and expensive. Scancell has developed its
breakthrough patent protected ImmunoBody® technology to overcome these
limitations.
An ImmunoBody® is a human antibody or fusion protein engineered to express
helper cell and CTL epitopes from tumour antigens over-expressed by cancer
cells. Antibodies are ideal vectors for carrying T cell epitopes from tumour
antigens as they have long half-lives and can effectively target dendritic
cells via their Fc receptors, allowing efficient stimulation of both helper and
CTL responses.
The Immunobody® technology can be adapted to provide the basis for treating any
tumour type and may also be of potential utility in the development of vaccines
against hepatitis, HIV and other chronic infectious diseases.