SIGA Announces Collaboration with Turnstone Biologics
March 02 2020 - 3:30PM
SIGA Technologies, Inc. (SIGA) (NASDAQ: SIGA), a commercial-stage
pharmaceutical company focused on the health security market, today
announced that it entered into a collaboration with Turnstone
Biologics to provide TPOXX® (tecovirimat) in connection with
Turnstone’s proprietary SKV vaccinia oncolytic immunotherapy
platform. The platform utilizes vaccinia viruses engineered for
increased selectivity and safety, as well as high-potency immune
stimulation, and allows delivery of multiple therapeutic agents
directly to tumors. The collaboration will provide Turnstone with
access to SIGA’s TPOXX oral antiviral capsules for use if required
in future clinical programs.
“TPOXX has potential as a new tool to support
the adoption of oncolytic vaccinia virus immunotherapies, including
those being developed by Turnstone,” said Dr. Phil Gomez, CEO of
SIGA. “The availability of a potent antiviral drug against vaccinia
provides additional assurance to patients receiving these promising
investigational therapies, their physicians, and regulators. We are
pleased to enter into this collaboration with Turnstone Biologics,
a leading innovator of next-generation oncolytic viral
therapies.”
Mike Burgess, Ph.D., President, Research and
Development at Turnstone added, “For nearly a century, viruses have
been used as the backbone for prophylactic vaccines that have saved
more lives than any other medical innovation in human history.
Turnstone is harnessing the inherent immune-stimulating properties
of viruses to create novel cancer therapies. As part of our
responsible stewardship of this biologic product, we are pleased to
partner with SIGA to make TPOXX available if needed in clinical
trials.”
In preclinical studies, TPOXX has been shown to
be active against most orthopoxviruses, including vaccinia
(published in NEJM, 20181). The unique mechanism of action of TPOXX
coupled with published efficacy in animal studies, make it an
important addition to development programs focused on
vaccinia-based cancer therapies.
On July 13, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approved oral TPOXX for the treatment of
smallpox to mitigate the impact of a potential outbreak or
bioterror attack. TPOXX is the only FDA-approved treatment of
smallpox.
ABOUT SIGA TECHNOLOGIES, INC. and
TPOXX®
SIGA Technologies, Inc. is a commercial-stage
pharmaceutical company focused on the health security market.
Health security comprises countermeasures for biological, chemical,
radiological and nuclear attacks (biodefense market), vaccines and
therapies for emerging infectious diseases, and health
preparedness. Our lead product is TPOXX®, also known as tecovirimat
and ST-246®, an orally administered and IV formulation antiviral
drug for the treatment of human smallpox disease caused by variola
virus. TPOXX is a novel small-molecule drug of which 2 million oral
courses have been delivered to the Strategic National Stockpile
under Project BioShield. The oral formulation of TPOXX was approved
by the FDA for the treatment of smallpox on July 13, 2018. In
September 2018, SIGA signed a new contract with Biomedical Advanced
Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for additional
procurement and development related to both oral and intravenous
formulations of TPOXX. For more information about SIGA, please
visit www.siga.com
ABOUT TURNSTONE BIOLOGICS
Turnstone Biologics is developing a disruptive
class of engineered viral immunotherapies, attacking cancer's
complexity with medicines designed to fight malignant disease at
multiple points of intervention. Turnstone’s proprietary vaccinia
virus platform has been engineered to stimulate the immune system,
drive antigen presentation and recognition, and re-shape the tumor
microenvironment. In addition, the large transgene capacity of the
virus can be utilized to deliver other agents and therapeutics
directly to sites of tumors throughout the body for local
expression, reducing the potential for systemic toxicity. RIVAL-01
is Turnstone’s lead candidate, consisting of the vaccinia virus
backbone encoding three potent immunomodulators, Flt3 ligand,
anti-CTLA-4 antibody and IL-12 cytokine, specifically designed to
work together to drive immune activity and re-program the
microenvironment to be best suited for tumor eradication. Learn
more at www.turnstonebio.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains certain
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such
forward-looking statements are subject to various known and unknown
risks and uncertainties, and SIGA cautions you that any
forward-looking information provided by or on behalf of SIGA is not
a guarantee of future performance. More detailed information about
SIGA and risk factors that may affect the realization of
forward-looking statements, including the forward-looking
statements in this press release, is set forth in SIGA's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including SIGA's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2017, and in other documents that SIGA has filed with the SEC. SIGA
urges investors and security holders to read those documents free
of charge at the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov. Interested
parties may also obtain those documents free of charge from SIGA.
Forward-looking statements are current only as of the date on which
such statements were made, and except for our ongoing obligations
under the United States of America federal securities laws, we
undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events,
or otherwise.
The information contained in this press release
does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the
Government and no official endorsement should be inferred.
_____________________________
1 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1705688
Contacts:
SIGA InvestorsDavid Carey
212-867-1768david.carey@finnpartners.com
SIGA MediaStephanie
Seiler206-713-0124stephanie.seiler@finnpartners.com
Turnstone BiologicsAhmed
Aneizi613-421-8930ahmed.aneizi@turnstonebio.com
Heidi Chokeir619-203-5391heidi@canalecomm.com
SIGA Technologies (NASDAQ:SIGA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
SIGA Technologies (NASDAQ:SIGA)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024