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ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Presents Data Demonstrating Immune Response Targeting Cancer Stem Cells

Posted on: Wednesday, 12 November 2008, 09:00 CST

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. (OTCBB:IMUC)(IMUC), a biotechnology company, presented data showing an immunological response against cancer stem cells (CSCs) derived from brain cancer, specifically glioblastoma. It has been demonstrated in the last few years that CD-133, a cell surface marker, is present on many different types of cancer stem cells and should therefore make an excellent target for ICT-121, the company's cancer stem cell vaccine product candidate, which is specifically designed to generate a T cell response against CD-133.

CD-133-positive cancer stem cells continue to renew themselves, therefore causing tumors to proliferate and grow. They are resistant to chemotherapy, which contributes to cancer recurrence following treatments with currently available therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation. Targeting cancer stem cells with an immunotherapy such as ICT-121 may enable the cancer cells to be destroyed at their very root so that they can no longer proliferate. IMUC's data were presented over the weekend at the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTC) Conference in San Diego, California by John Yu, M.D., scientific founder and chairman of the board of IMUC, and co-inventor of IMUC's technology.

"We are excited to have found a target antigen that may enable us to create an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine that could be highly targeted for destroying cancer stem cells," stated Dr. Yu. "As a neurosurgeon, I am treating cancer patients each day, but we are still in great need of therapies that are more effective in destroying cancer cells. To have a cancer stem cell vaccine such as ICT-121 which potentially can attack cancer cells at their root so as to destroy their ability to proliferate, and which should do so in a way that is non-toxic to the patient, could represent a paradigm shift in the way that cancer is treated."

"ICT-121 is an exciting product candidate in our pipeline given its ability, as reflected in the data presented by Dr. Yu, to target cancer stem cells and be produced as a non patient-specific vaccine, and we look forward to advancing this vaccine into a Phase I clinical trial for glioblastoma, where the brain tumors of many patients overexpress CD-133, in the second quarter of next year," stated Manish Singh, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of IMUC. "Cancer stem cell technologies have begun to command a high level of interest as evidenced by the number of recent deals done by pharmaceutical companies in this area as well as by the September cover story in The Economist entitled 'Cancer and Stem Cells--The Connection that Could Lead to a Cure,' and we share in this enthusiasm for this exciting area of clinical development."

About ICT-121

ICT-121 is IMUC's cancer stem cell vaccine product candidate that consists of a peptide to stimulate a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response to CD133, which is generally overexpressed on the CSCs. It is designed as an "off-the-shelf" vaccine. IMUC will initially evaluate it in a Phase I clinical study for glioblastoma which, subject to FDA clearance, IMUC plans to commence in the second quarter of next year. While glioblastoma will be the initial target for ICT-121, CD133 is also overexpressed in colon cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma and melanoma, providing many potential cancer targets for this CSC vaccine in the future.

About ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.

IMUC is a Los Angeles-based clinical-stage company that is developing immune based therapies for the treatment of brain and other cancers. IMUC's lead product candidate--a dendritic cell-based vaccine for treating brain tumors--is currently being evaluated in a Phase I clinical trial. The company's "off the shelf" therapeutic vaccine product candidate targeting cancer stem cells for multiple cancer indications is expected to enter clinical trials during the second quarter of 2009. IMUC is in pre-clinical development of a monoclonal antibody product candidate for the treatment of small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, and is also evaluating its platform technology for monoclonal antibody discovery using differential immunization for diagnosing and treating multiple types of cancer. To learn more about IMUC, please visit www.imuc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including without limitation the risks associated with obtaining FDA clearance to commence clinical trials of the cancer stem vaccine on a timely basis or at all; the risks associated with adhering to projected preclinical or clinical timelines and the uncertainties of outcomes of development work for product candidates, including those based on destroying cancer stem cells as a potentially safe and effective treatment for various cancers; the need to satisfy performance milestones to maintain the vaccine technology licenses with Cedars-Sinai; the risks associated with generating data to support the provisional patent application for the CSC technology and of obtaining a patent that provides commercially significant protection for this technology; and the need for substantial additional capital to fund development of product candidates beyond their initial clinical or pre-clinical stages. Additional risks and uncertainties are described in IMUC's most recently filed SEC documents, such as its most recent annual report on Form 10-KSB, all quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and any current reports on Form 8-K. IMUC undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Business Wire

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