Preclinical Research Demonstrates Peregrine Pharmaceuticals’ PS-Targeting Antibodies Enhance the Anti-Tumor Activity of PD-...
October 24 2016 - 7:05AM
-- Combination of PS-Targeting Antibody and
Anti-PD-L1 Therapy, With or Without Chemotherapy, Led to Greater
Anti-Tumor Activity Than Single Agent Treatment or Dual
Combinations With Chemotherapy --
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:PPHM) (NASDAQ:PPHMP), a
biopharmaceutical company committed to improving patient lives by
manufacturing high quality products for biotechnology and
pharmaceutical companies and advancing its proprietary R&D
pipeline, today announced the presentation of preclinical study
data demonstrating that phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting
antibodies similar to bavituximab are able to enhance the
anti-tumor activity of anti-PD-L1 therapy in a model of triple
negative breast cancer (TNBC). Data showed that a combination
of anti-PS and anti-PD-L1 therapies, with or without paclitaxel,
led to greater anti-tumor responses than any of the treatments
administered as single agents or dual treatment combinations with
paclitaxel, in the well-characterized E0771 murine model of
TNBC. Study results were presented by researchers from Duke
University Medical Center at the American Association for Cancer
Research’s Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Conference held
October 20-23, 2016 in Boston, MA.
In addition to evaluating the anti-tumor
activity of the various treatment combinations, researchers also
examined the impact of various traditional cancer therapies on PS
expression in cancer cells. Study results confirmed that
levels of PS expression were upregulated in E0771 and 4T1 TNBC
cells following treatment with chemotherapy, radiation or
photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy also was shown to
increase PS expression on tumor cells.
“These study results provide the latest support
for the belief that PS-targeting therapies can enhance the
anti-tumor activity of checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-L1
therapy in the treatment of TNBC. Just last month, we
announced results from another preclinical study in TNBC
demonstrating that 80% of animals receiving the triple combination
of anti-PS, anti-PD-1 and anti-LAG3 therapies experienced complete
tumor regressions, whereas there were no animals in the anti-PD-1
and anti-LAG3 combination treatment arm that had a complete
regression,” said Jeff T. Hutchins, Ph.D., Peregrine’s vice
president, preclinical research. “Additionally, these latest study
findings related to increased PS expression on the surface of tumor
cells following traditional cancer treatments demonstrate important
activity within the tumor microenvironment that offers rationale
for the potential of anti-PS agents in combatting cancer. We
plan to continue to work with our collaborators at Duke University
Medical Center to further study the therapeutic potential of
PS-targeting agents in combination with checkpoint inhibitors like
anti-PD-L1 and conventional therapies that augment immunotherapy
mechanisms.”
Bavituximab is an investigational monoclonal
antibody that targets PS. Signals from PS inhibit the ability of
immune cells to recognize and fight tumors. Bavituximab is believed
to override PS mediated immunosuppressive signaling by blocking the
engagement of PS with its receptors as well as by sending an
alternate immune activating signal. Previous studies
demonstrated PS-targeting antibodies shift the functions of immune
cells in tumors, resulting in multiple signs of immune activation
and anti-tumor responses. Peregrine evaluates the preclinical
equivalent of bavituximab, ch1N11, in animal model studies to guide
clinical development.
Peregrine’s clinical development strategy for
bavituximab currently focuses on small, early-stage,
proof-of-concept trials evaluating the drug in combination with
other cancer treatments. This approach includes the recently
announced grants by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
(NCCN) to support three different clinical trials of bavituximab
treatment combinations. Those trials will evaluate novel
bavituximab combinations in glioblastoma, head and neck cancer, and
hepatocellular carcinoma including an immunotherapy
combination. Additionally, Peregrine continues to advance its
pre-clinical collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer
Center with the goal of evaluating combinations of bavituximab with
other checkpoint inhibitors and immune stimulatory agents.
The intent behind this strategy is to focus our research and
development spending to further validate bavituximab's combination
potential as we seek to advance the program though a pharmaceutical
or biotechnology partner.
About Peregrine Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical
company committed to improving the lives of patients by delivering
high quality pharmaceutical products through its contract
development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services and
through advancing and licensing its investigational immunotherapy
and related products. Peregrine's in-house CDMO services,
including cGMP manufacturing and development capabilities, are
provided through its wholly-owned subsidiary Avid Bioservices, Inc.
(www.avidbio.com), which provides development and biomanufacturing
services for both Peregrine and third-party customers. The
company is also working to evaluate its lead immunotherapy
candidate, bavituximab, in combination with immune stimulating
therapies for the treatment of various cancers, and developing its
proprietary exosome technology for the detection and monitoring of
cancer. For more information, please visit
www.peregrineinc.com.
Safe Harbor Statement:
Statements in this press release which are not purely historical,
including statements regarding Peregrine Pharmaceuticals'
intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations,
projections, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks
and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that the
data from these preclinical studies will not be duplicated in
future clinical trials and the risk that the company’s clinical
development strategy will not generate clinical data sufficiently
compelling to attract a partner to advance the program. The
company's actual results could differ materially from those in any
such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially include, but are not limited to,
uncertainties associated with completing preclinical and clinical
trials for our technologies; the early stage of product
development; the significant costs to develop our products as all
of our products are currently in development, preclinical studies
or clinical trials; obtaining additional financing to support our
operations and the development of our products; obtaining
regulatory approval for our technologies; anticipated timing of
regulatory filings and the potential success in gaining regulatory
approval and complying with governmental regulations applicable to
our business. Our business could be affected by a number of other
factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in our
reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended April 30, 2016 as well as any updates to
these risk factors filed from time to time in the company's other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company
cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. disclaims any obligation, and does
not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements in
this press release.
Contacts:
Stephanie Diaz (Investors)
Vida Strategic Partners
415-675-7401
sdiaz@vidasp.com
Tim Brons (Media)
Vida Strategic Partners
415-675-7402
tbrons@vidasp.com
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