On September 18, 2018 Provectus (OTCQB: PVCT) reported that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has allowed the Company’s patent application for the use of adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of PV-10-induced T cells for the treatment of solid tumor cancers (Press release, Provectus Biopharmaceuticals, SEP 18, 2018, View Source [SID1234529473]). Co-inventors include current and former members of a longstanding, PV-10-focused, translational research team at Moffitt Cancer Center (Moffitt) in Tampa, Florida, which has undertaken work in melanoma, breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer starting in 20111.
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PV-10 is Provectus’ lead investigational drug for the treatment of adult and pediatric solid tumor cancers, and is the first small molecule oncolytic immunotherapy. It is administered via intralesional injection directly into superficial or visceral tumors to elicit immunogenic cell death of these injected tumors. PV-10 is the subject of several ongoing clinical trials of adults in melanoma2,3 and cancers of the liver3,4. PV-10 has also been shown to induce cell death in pediatric solid tumor cell lines derived from relapsed neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and osteosarcoma6.
Under the treatment concept of the allowed patent application, which is entitled "Method of Ex Vivo Enhancement of Immune Cell Activity for Cancer Immunotherapy with a Small Molecule Ablative Compound," PV-10 is injected into solid tumors and the resulting immune products – T cells trained via PV-10 oncolytic immunotherapy to be functional against treated tumors – are harvested, banked, and amplified. Amplified T cells may be administered via ACT, if needed. The allowed patent application also covers the ACT treatment of either the original patient or other immunologically-suitable patients.
Dominic Rodrigues, Vice Chair of the Company’s Board of Directors, said, "Hundreds of patients have received intralesional PV-10 for a variety of solid tumor types. One of several logical paths for expanding our clinical development program is to explore harnessing functional immunologic activation produced by PV-10 oncolytic immunotherapy via the use of adoptive cell transfer. Protecting Provectus’ intellectual property in this regard was an important and necessary task."
About PV-10
Provectus’ lead investigational oncology drug, PV-10, the first small molecule oncolytic immunotherapy, can induce immunogenic cell death. PV-10 is undergoing clinical study for adult solid tumor cancers, like melanoma and cancers of the liver, and preclinical study for pediatric cancers.