On January 10, 2005 Xenova Group plc (NASDAQ: XNVA; London Stock Exchange: XEN) reported that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT) in respect of Xenova’s intellectual property relating to TA-CIN (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, JAN 10, 2005, View Source [SID1234523438]). TA-CIN is a vaccine developed by Xenova as a treatment for women with cervical dysplasia, and has proved safe and immunogenic in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials.
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CRT will facilitate a further Phase II clinical trial to be undertaken at St. Mary’s Hospital Manchester and associated laboratory studies at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research in Manchester to evaluate TA-CIN in combination with an immune modulator in subjects with vulval intra-epithelial neoplasia (VIN). This trial, expected to start shortly, will recruit between 20 and 30 women with known, pre-treated, or newly diagnosed VIN3. The primary end point is objective response of vulval intraepithelial lesions to treatment as well as evaluating safety, toxicity and tolerability of the combination treatment.
CRT will license TA-CIN patents, know-how and materials from Xenova and will undertake marketing of TA-CIN to potential commercial partners with a view to sub-licensing the development and commercialisation of the product. Net receipts from the sub-licensing of TA-CIN will be shared between Xenova and CRT after certain direct costs have been recouped.
Cervical dysplasia (also known as cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia, CIN) is one of a group of conditions, including VIN, known collectively as ano-genital intraepithelial neoplasia (AGIN), which are precursors to invasive cancers such as cervical cancer. Infection with certain high risk types of Human Papillomavirus such as HPV16, is closely associated with these dysplasias and cancers, which are difficult to treat and have a high recurrence rate.
David Oxlade , Chief Executive Officer of Xenova said: "We are delighted that the promising TA-CIN vaccine is now progressing into further Phase II studies through this relationship with CRT. This collaboration provides further evidence of the potential value of Xenova’s portfolio of novel cancer drugs."
Dr Keith Blundy, Chief Operating Officer of CRT stated: "We are pleased to in-license and develop this opportunity from Xenova, which clearly demonstrates CRT’s strategy for expanding our oncology portfolio and addressing our goal of cancer patient benefit".