Allergy Therapeutics plc
(“Allergy Therapeutics” or the “Group”)
Allergy Therapeutics Publishes New Research Exploring Potential of its Adjuvant Systems in the Treatment of Cancer in the Journal of ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
- Research illustrates broad, novel applications of the Group’s adjuvant systems portfolio beyond allergy indications -
7 May 2019 Allergy Therapeutics plc (AIM: AGY), the fully integrated commercial biotechnology company specialising in allergy vaccines, today announces, through its adjuvant research division Bencard Adjuvant Systems, the publication of new research into the Group’s adjuvant system Microcrystalline Tyrosine (MCT®) combined with Virus-Like particles (VLPs).
The research, Vaccination with nanoparticles combined with micro-adjuvants protects against cancer (Mohsen M et al.), undertaken by the Group’s adjuvant research division, Bencard Adjuvant Systems and published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, investigated the protective efficacy of the Group’s adjuvant system against cancer and showed that the combination of MCT and VLPs caused tumour regression in an aggressive melanoma mouse model and initiated a highly protective CD8 T-cell immune response.
Manuel Llobet, Chief Executive Officer of Allergy Therapeutics, said: “Our strategy for growth with our adjuvant division, Bencard Adjuvant Systems, focuses on extending the use of MCT® and VLPs in developing vaccines for unmet needs and disease areas beyond allergy that require an effective depot adjuvant. This ground-breaking work, completed in collaboration with the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, supports this strategy and complements the existing work illustrating the potential of our adjuvant systems in disease areas such as influenza and malaria.”
About the study: Microcrystalline Tyrosine and Virus-Like Particles in treating cancer
The paper was published in conjunction with collaborators from the Jenner Institute, Oxford, UK and University of Bern, Switzerland and describes how the depot effect of MCT allows release of VLP-antigen to reach lymphoid organs efficiently (<72hrs) for optimal priming of T-cells.
The induction of strong T-cell responses, in particular cytotoxic T-cells, is key for the generation of an efficacious therapeutic cancer vaccine. The study showed that VLPs rapidly drain into the lymphatic system due to their nano-size. However, formulating the nanoparticles with the micron-sized MCT adjuvant resulted in a local depot for the nanoparticles and a longer exposure time for the immune system. In doing so, the MCT:VLP was similarly potent to other commonly used adjuvants such as the potent B type immunostimulatory CpGs and performed better than Alum in inducing cytotoxic T lymphocytes and tumour protection.
MCT has been used in the clinic for decades in allergen-specific desensitisation. The potential shown in this study may therefore readily translate into a clinical setting to optimise the induction of cytotoxic T-cells in humans to drive protection against melanoma.
- ENDS -
Mohsen M et al., Vaccination with nanoparticles combined with micro-adjuvants protects against cancer. J Immunotherapy of Cancer. (2019) 7:114 Available to access here https://jitc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40425-019-0587-z
For further information, please contact:
Allergy Therapeutics
+44 (0) 1903 845 820
Manuel Llobet, Chief Executive Officer
Nick Wykeman, Chief Financial Officer
Panmure Gordon
+44 (0) 20 7886 2500
Freddy Crossley, Emma Earl, Corporate Finance
Erik Anderson, Corporate Broking
Consilium Strategic Communications
+44 20 3709 5700
Mary-Jane Elliott / David Daley / Nicholas Brown / Olivia Manser
allergytherapeutics@consilium-comms.com
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
+1 212 362 1200
Christina Tartaglia
christina@sternir.com
Notes for editors:
About Bencard Adjuvant Systems
Bencard Adjuvant Systems is a division of Allergy Therapeutics UK; a fully integrated, speciality pharmaceutical company. Located in Worthing, on England’s south coast, Bencard Adjuvant Systems specialise in developing and optimising adjuvants for infectious diseases, cancer immunotherapy and allergen immunotherapy. Bencard Adjuvant Systems are committed to engaging in long-term partnerships with those who require adjuvant technologies to enable successful vaccine or immunotherapy development.
About Allergy Therapeutics
Allergy Therapeutics is an international commercial biotechnology company focussed on the treatment and diagnosis of allergic disorders, including aluminium free immunotherapy vaccines that have the potential to cure disease. The Group sells proprietary and third-party products from its subsidiaries in nine major European countries and via distribution agreements in an additional ten countries. Its broad pipeline of products in clinical development include vaccines for grass, tree and house dust mite, and peanut allergy vaccine in pre-clinical development. Adjuvant systems to boost performance of vaccines outside allergy are also in development.
Formed in 1999 out of Smith Kline Beecham, Allergy Therapeutics is headquartered in Worthing, UK with more than 11,000m2 of state-of-the-art MHRA-approved manufacturing facilities and laboratories. The Group, which has achieved double digit compound annual growth since formation, employs c.500 employees and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM:AGY). For more information, please see www.allergytherapeutics.com.
References:
Mohsen M et al., Vaccination with nanoparticles combined with micro-adjuvants protects against cancer. J Immunotherapy of Cancer. (2019) 7:114