By exercising its rights to license PHS patents and patent applications under the CRADA agreements, Therion gains exclusive use of intellectual property covering:
Recombinant pox virus vectors incorporating CEA and melanoma tumor-associated antigens for immunization against CEA-expressing cancers and melanoma.
Multiple co-stimulatory molecules and specific cancer antigens used in conjunction with Therion's virus vectors to enhance immune system generation of cytotoxic T cells.
Modified peptides when used in combination with a recombinant poxvirus-based vaccine as part of a prime boost vaccination regimen strategy, designed to stimulate and sustain a therapeutic response against cancer.
The licenses cover technologies discovered and developed in the laboratories of Jeffrey Schlom, Ph.D., Chief of the NCI's Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, and Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D. Ph.D., the NCI's Chief of Surgery, both principal investigators under Therion's two existing CRADAs.
"Therion's decision to exercise its options on these key cancer vaccine patents reflects the progress we and the NCI have made with our products in the clinic," said Dennis Panicali, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Therion Biologics. "To date we have benefited from our two CRADA's through collaborations with world-renowned scientists and clinicians, and gained access to clinical trial resources. Together these have enabled us to test multiple protocols and products for the optimization of therapeutic vaccines. Our expanded intellectual property portfolio will aid us in executing our commercialization strategy for both our preclinical candidates as well as for our lead products currently in late stage clinical trials."
Therion's Products
Therion's product candidates are based on pox virus vectors that have the ability to carry high genomic content. These vectors are engineered to carry combinations of tumor-associated antigens and other genes, such as co-stimulatory molecules, capable of enhancing immune system response and optimizing a patient's ability to fight cancer. Therion's unique development approach enables the rapid generation and clinical evaluation of several product candidates and provides a cost-effective means for identifying new vaccine candidates.
About Therion
Therion Biologics Corporation is focused on the development of therapeutic vaccines for cancer and preventive vaccines for AIDS. Therion's most advanced product, PROSTVAC-VF, is currently in Phase II studies for prostate cancer. Under the terms of a strategic collaboration with Aventis Pasteur, a second product, ALVAC-CEA/B7.1, will move into pivotal clinical trials in the next two years for colorectal cancer. The company also has a broad pipeline of vaccines in early clinical development for treatment of major cancers, including breast cancer, melanoma and other solid tumors. In addition to Aventis, Therion's collaborators include the National Cancer Institute and a network of leading clinical institutions around the world. Therion is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
