On July 5, 2021 Scandion Oncology A/S ("Scandion Oncology") reported that its President & CEO, Bo Rode Hansen, has bought additional 10,800 shares in Scandion Oncology resulting in a total holding on 35,900 shares in the Company (Press release, Scandion Oncology, JUL 5, 2021, View Source;ceo-has-bought-10-800-shares-in-scandion-oncology,c3380226 [SID1234584594]).

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On July 5, 2021 Prescient Therapeutics reported The results significantly de-risk the project as PTX continues development of its OmniCAR platform (Press release, Prescient Therapeutics, JUL 5, 2021, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prescient-shares-rip-higher-as-immunogenicity-testing-results-for-omnicar-could-not-have-been-better [SID1234584593]).

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As it builds out its OmniCAR cancer treatment platform, clinical stage oncology company Prescient Therapeutics (ASX:PTX) has updated investors with a run of positive news flow in recent weeks.

And that run continued this morning as PTX announced strong results upon completion of its in silico (computer simulated) immunogenicity testing program.

The testing program was carried out on SpyTag and SpyCatcher – Prescient’s two proprietary components that bind cancer-fighting T-cells with a targeting ligand in order to target specific proteins.

Results "could not have been better"
Investors responded to the update, sending shares in PTX more than 13 per cent higher in morning trade to 26c.

"Immunogenicity testing evaluates the body’s immune response against a new therapy, which can adversely affect safety and efficacy", PTX explained.

In that context, the immunogenicity results for SpyTag and SpyCatcher "could not have been better", CEO Steven Yatomi-Clarke said.

The immunogenicity levels were "lower than a panel of humanised therapeutic antibodies already approved for human use", an equivalent to existing antibodies produced naturally by the human body.

"In short, it gives us confidence that if these therapies are ultimately delivered to patients, that their immune systems will not impair the therapy itself," Yatomi-Clarke said.

That marks a key step forward not only for the development of Prescient’s three in-house OmniCAR programs, but also for potential partners and collaborators that want to licence the OmniCAR platform.

"These results substantially de-risk the entire platform and are important for progressing Prescient’s in-house programs and external collaborations with OmniCAR," Prescient said.

The immunogenicity results follow on from a key manufacturing milestone last month, when Prescient announced production was complete for a range of binders that target multiple cancers.

And today’s update confirms the PTX management team continues to execute on both its in-house CAR-T treatment and the OmniCAR licensing platform.

The company is developing OmniCAR programs for the treatment of myeloid leukemia; Her2+ solid tumours (including breast, ovarian and gastric cancers), and glioblastoma multiforme (the most common form of brain cancer).

Development remains ongoing at the world-leading Peter MacCallum cancer research centre in Melbourne.

This article was developed in collaboration with Prescient Therapeutics, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

On July 5, 2021 Prescient Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: PTX) reported the back of news its cancer treatment drug, OmniCAR, has been substantially de-risked (Press release, Prescient Therapeutics, JUL 5, 2021, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-prescient-asxptx-share-price-rocketed-10-higher-today-heres-why [SID1234584590]).

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After reaching a multi-year high of 26.5 cents this morning, the Prescient share price has retreated slightly and is currently trading at 25 cents apiece, up 8.7%.

Today, Prescient announced positive results from in silico immunogenicity testing of SpyTag and SpyCatcher, OmniCAR’s key binding components.

Let’s take a look at today’s news from the cancer treatment development company.

Positive immunogenicity results
According to Prescient’s release, the results have de-risked the entire OmniCAR platform.

The in silico tests found SpyTag and SpyCatcher don’t inspire a negative response from human antibodies – meaning, the human body won’t attack the treatment itself.

In silico tests are done on a computer using algorithms. In this case, the tests mimicked the human body’s response to introduced medication.

OmniCAR combines controllable CAR T-cell therapy and multi-antigen targeting. According to Prescient, high levels of immunogenicity – a negative response from antibodies – can negatively impact CAR-T cell expansion and persistence, which can affect the safety and clinical response of the treatment.

OmniCAR is currently being developed to treat acute myeloid leukemia, Her2+ solid tumours (including breast, ovarian and gastric cancers), and the most common form of brain cancer, glioblastoma.

Today’s development follows the successful completion of manufacturing and delivery of critical components of the OmniCAR platform.

Commentary from management
Prescient CEO and managing director Steven Yatomi-Clarke commented on the results, saying:

The immunogenicity results could not have been better. In short, it gives us confidence that if these therapies are ultimately delivered to patients, that their immune systems will not impair the therapy itself.

This is essential not only for Prescient’s three in-house OmniCAR programs, but also for potential external collaborators, who consider immunogenicity very stringently.

On July 5, 2021 Prescient Therapeutics (PTX) reported that it recent results from testing show its entire platform has been substantially de-risked (Press release, Prescient Therapeutics, JUL 5, 2021, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prescient-therapeutics-asxptx-returns-successful-immunogenicity-results [SID1234584589]).

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In silico immunogenicity testing of the company’s OmniCAR key binding components, SpyTag and SpyCatcher, evaluated the immune response against a new therapy, affecting safety and efficacy.

OmniCAR is a universal immune receptor platform enabling controllable T-cell activity and multi-antigen targeting with a single cell product. Prescient is developing OmniCAR programs for acute myeloid leukemia, solid tumours like breast, ovarian and gastric cancers, and glioblastoma multiforme, the most common form of brain cancer.

The immunogenicity of SpyTag and SpyCatcher was tested in silico by an independent US research provider to determine if either component has the potential to cause adverse immune responses that could compromise the therapy.

The results demonstrated both SpyTag and SpyCatcher have very low immunogenicity — significantly lower than a panel of humanised therapeutic antibodies already approved for human use.

In the case of CAR-T cell therapies, high levels of immunogenicity can impact CAR-T cell expansion and persistence, which can impact the overall safety and response to the treatment.

The company says the positive results re-risk the entire OmniCAR platform and trigger the next steps for development.

Prescient’s CEO and Managing Director, Steven Yatomi-Clarke, said the immunogenicity results could not have been better.

"In short, it gives us confidence that if these therapies are ultimately delivered to patients, that their immune systems will not impair the therapy itself. This is essential not only for Prescient’s three in-house OmniCAR programs, but also for potential external collaborators, who consider immunogenicity very stringently."

The new development follows Prescient finishing manufacturing and delivering critical components of the OmniCAR platform for several cancer targets and lentiviral vectors used to produce CAR-T cells.

The company says its development plans are on schedule to deliver the next important milestones.

"Together with our talented research team at Peter Mac, we are excited to progress our inhouse next generation cell therapies for cancer patients," said Mr Yatomi-Clarke.

On July 2, 2021 Aptamer Science reported that the company preparing to apply for a phase 1 clinical trial plan for ‘AST-201’, a liver cancer treatment candidate, in Korea and China in the second half of 2021 (Press release, Aptamer Sciences, JUL 2, 2021, View Source;idx=132 [SID1234641529]).

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Aptamer Science has been implementing a business strategy of promoting technology export of candidate substances after completing preclinical (animal testing) testing or conducting phase 1 clinical trials and then exporting technology.

Aptamer Science plans to complete preclinical trials of AST-201 within this year and begin global phase 1 clinical trials in Korea and China.

Aptamer Science explained that AST-201 is an aptamer anticancer treatment that binds gemcitabine, a cytotoxic substance, to liver cancer cells.

Currently, Aptamer Science is known to have signed a confidentiality agreement (CDA) regarding AST-201 with a Chinese pharmaceutical company and is discussing technology export.

In the securities industry, there is a view that Aptamer Science is planning to enter phase 1 clinical trials within 2021 and achieve results in order to speed up discussions on technology export.

Aptamer Science is the only company in Asia that possesses aptamer discovery technology. It was founded in 2011 by CEO Dong-il Han and professors at Pohang University of Science and Technology.

An aptamer is an oligonucleotide that forms a three-dimensional shape and binds to a target substance. It is known to have high material stability because it recognizes its three-dimensional shape and is produced through chemical synthesis.

In general, antibodies bind only to a single site and have immunogenic side effects, but aptamers can bind to multiple sites and there is no case of immune rejection in humans. Low manufacturing costs and the ability to expand to various application fields are also considered strengths.

The liver cancer treatment candidate is also the only one in Asia made with aptamer technology.

In an interview with a media outlet, CEO Han said, "Aptamer technology binds as if surrounding the target with a three-dimensional structure, showing even better binding power," and added, "We will widely promote aptamer technology, which is easier to chemically synthesize and has superior efficacy than existing antibodies." "He said.

In the pharmaceutical bio industry, the aptamer anti-cancer treatment AST-201 is evaluated as a substance that can overcome the limitations of existing targeted anti-cancer treatments as it shows high tissue permeability (the degree to which the drug is absorbed into the tissue) and the characteristics of overcoming anti-cancer drug resistance.

In 2005, the global pharmaceutical company Pfizer developed Macugen, a macular degeneration treatment, the first new drug made with aptamer technology, and the possibility of developing new drugs was already proven.

Aptamer Science also developed the world’s first lung cancer early diagnosis kit based on Aptamer technology. It received Class 3 medical device certification from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2017 and European CE (European Standards and Standards System) certification in 2018, and is preparing for commercialization in the second half of 2021.

At the ‘Bio Korea 2021’ event held in June, Aptamer Science conducted joint research discussions with global pharmaceutical companies to develop blood-brain barrier (BBB)-penetrating shuttle aptamer technology, which expanded the application areas of aptamer technology.

It is reported that global pharmaceutical companies have shown particular interest because the blood-brain barrier penetration technology can be used for all brain disease drugs.

An Aptamer Science official said, "We cannot disclose the current discussions on AST-201 and blood-brain barrier penetration technology as they are business secrets."

According to U.S. market research firm Transparency Market Research, the global aptamer market is expected to grow from $1.3 billion in 2017 to $5.9 billion in 2025. It grows by 20.9% every year.