Scancell Holdings Plc, (AIM: SCLP), the developer of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, is pleased to announce the publication of the patent application underpinning the Company’s Moditope® platform.  When granted, this patent will protect the platform to at least 2033.

The patent application, describes how the Moditope® immunotherapy platform harnesses CD4+ T cells to eradicate tumours.  Moditope® deploys certain tumour-associated peptide epitopes as immunotherapeutic agents to overcome self-tolerance and eradicate tumour cells, with no requirement for blockade inhibitors.  Planning is underway for the manufacture, preclinical testing and first-in-man clinical development of the Modi-1, the first Moditope® immunotherapeutic.  The PCT patent application which has a priority date of 7 August 2012 was published on 13 February 2014 as WO2014/023957.

Prof. Lindy Durrant Professor of Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Nottingham and Joint CEO of Scancell, said:  “The publication of the patent application is another important milestone in the development of a range of novel immunotherapeutics from the Moditope® platform.  Recent data suggests that Modi-1 may exhibit potent anti-tumour effects even against established aggressive tumours, dramatically improving survival rates.  We look forward to a busy and exciting year in which we continue to prepare Modi-1 for clinical trials which are on schedule to start in early 2016.”

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About Scancell

Scancell is developing novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer based on its ImmunoBody® and Moditope® technology platforms.  Scancell’s first ImmunoBody®, SCIB1 is being developed for the treatment of melanoma and is being evaluated  in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial.  Data from the trial demonstrate that SCIB1 produced a melanoma-specific immune response and promising survival trend. 

Scancell’s ImmunoBody® vaccines target dendritic cells and 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.

Scancell has also identified and patented a series of modified epitopes that stimulate the production of killer CD4 that destroy tumours without toxicity. The Directors believe that the Moditope® platform could play a major role in the development of safe and effective cancer immunotherapies in the future.