- Signs Agreement with Cytovance for Development of Commercial
Scale Antibody Manufacturing, and with Veristat for Clinical Trial
Management
- Appoints New Auditors for Quest PharmaTech and
OncoQuest
EDMONTON, Dec. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - OncoQuest Inc.
("OncoQuest"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the
development and commercialization of immunotherapeutic products for
the treatment of cancer, today announced that it has entered into
an Antibody Manufacturing Development Program with Cytovance
Biologics (Oklahoma City, OK, USA)
for its oregovomab antibody product. Supported by recent positive
interim clinical results from its Phase IIb clinical study in
ovarian cancer patients, OncoQuest has engaged Cytovance to
establish a reliable and stable supply of its oregovomab antibody
drug product to support anticipated registration clinical studies
and future commercial needs. Oregovomab is currently being tested
with standard chemotherapy combination in the front line setting of
ovarian cancer treatment. An additional phase II clinical trial
using oregovomab in combination with a TLR3 agonist, Hiltonol®, in
the recurrent ovarian cancer population, is being initiated in the
US.
OncoQuest has also appointed Veristat (Southborough, MA, USA), a full service
clinical research organization (CRO) as the clinical and data
monitor for the upcoming clinical trial in the recurrent ovarian
cancer setting. To oversee all of OncoQuest's expanding clinical
trial programs, OncoQuest is pleased to announce the recent
appointment of Dr. Sean Du, as
Senior Director of Clinical Operations. Sean has an MD, and
an M.Sc in clinical research and experimental medicine from McGill
University. Sean was recently employed as an Associate
Medical Director (drug development) with Beigene BioPharma Co., Ltd
for their oncology clinical trials.
"We are pushing ahead with the clinical development of
oregovomab for the treatment of ovarian cancer" said Thomas Woo, Vice President of Product
Development for OncoQuest. "We will work closely with Cytovance and
Veristat to ensure a reliable supply of antibody to support our
drug development and continual progress in our clinical
program."
Auditor Appointments
OncoQuest also announces the appointment of EisnerAmper LLP as
OncoQuest's U.S. auditors and Quest announces the appointment of
Kingston Ross Pasnak LLP, as Quest's successor auditors.
About Oregovomab
Oregovomab is OncoQuest's high affinity monoclonal antibody (Mab
B43.13) that binds the tumor associated antigen CA125 (also
designated MUC16) and initiates a cascade of immune responses
against this glycoprotein. CA125 is expressed in epithelial ovarian
cancer on the tumor surface but it is also shed into the
circulation. OncoQuest has shown that carboplatin paclitaxel based
chemotherapy used in front line treatment in precisely scheduled
combination with oregovomab can improve outcomes relative to
chemotherapy alone and is currently exploring the role of select
immune adjuvants and checkpoint inhibition to assess oregovomab's
application in advanced disease settings. The Company plans to
initiate phase 3 development of this product in an optimal
combination with commercial grade antibody product when the current
combinatorial phase 2 program is completed.
About Cytovance
Cytovance® Biologics is a biopharmaceutical contract
manufacturing company specializing in the production of therapeutic
proteins and antibodies from both mammalian cell culture and
microbial fermentation. In addition to its cGMP manufacturing
services, the company offers process development, cGMP cell banking
and support services from its Oklahoma
City state-of-the-art facilities. For more
information, visit www.cytovance.com.
About Veristat
Veristat is a consultative clinical research organization (CRO)
that is committed to partnering with pharmaceutical, biotechnology
and medical device firms in order to advance their therapies
through the clinical development and regulatory submission process.
Veristat helps clients solve the unique and complex challenges that
arise when trying to accelerate therapies along the development
pathway. Veristat provides experience-based strategic
decision-making, the operational efficiencies to manage and monitor
international trials, the biometrics expertise to collect, analyze
& report clinical trial data to various regulatory agencies,
and the therapeutic and medical proficiency to mastermind the
entire process. Ultimately, we guide our clients to market success
so that their therapies become available to improve and save
people's lives. For more information, visit www.veristat.com.
About OncoQuest
OncoQuest is a privately held, Canadian based pharmaceutical
company focused on the development and commercialization of
immunotherapies for cancer. OncoQuest's technology platform
includes a panel of tumor antigen specific monoclonal
immunoglobulins including CA125, MUC1, PSA and Her2/neu; and the
application of combinatorial immunotherapy to enhance tumor
specific immunity and clinical outcome. OncoQuest's lead product is
oregovomab for the treatment of ovarian cancer that is currently
undergoing multiple phase 2 clinical trials. OncoQuest's MUC1
program has already undergone a Phase 1 clinical trial in breast
cancer patients, and its development is being led by OncoVent Co.
Ltd., OncoQuest's joint venture partner who has licensed the rights
of the immunotherapy technologies in the territory of Greater China. OncoQuest's next-generation
products are based on immunoglobulin E licensed from UCLA, Stanford
University and Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc. These
antigen-specific monoclonal IgE antibodies are currently in
preclinical development.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements. In
some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by
terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue,"
"expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes,"
"estimates," and similar expressions. These statements are
based upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and
include statements regarding OncoQuest's intended clinical
program. These statements are based on management's
expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release
and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of
which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to
differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from
those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements,
including the ability of OncoQuest's product candidates to
demonstrate safety and efficacy, as well as results that are
consistent with prior results, the ability to enroll patients and
complete the clinical trials on time and achieve desired results
and benefits, the company's ability to obtain regulatory approvals
for commercialization of product candidates or to comply with
ongoing regulatory requirements, regulatory limitations relating to
the company's ability to promote or commercialize its product
candidates for specific indications, acceptance of its product
candidates in the marketplace and the successful development,
marketing or sale of products, the company's ability to maintain
its license agreements, the continued maintenance and growth of its
patent estate, its ability to establish and maintain
collaborations, its ability to obtain or maintain the capital
or grants necessary to fund its research and development
activities, and its ability to retain its key scientists or
management personnel. The information in this release is
provided only as of the date of this release and the company
undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements
contained in this release based on new information, future events,
or otherwise, except as required by law.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Quest PharmaTech Inc.