Imugene Ltd (ASX:IMU)

Imugene is a publicly-listed biotechnology company with operations in America and Europe, developing cancer immunotherapies targeting B-cell peptide vaccines.

B-Cell Peptide Cancer Vaccines

B-cell peptide cancer vaccines link an immunogenic protein with a B-cell epitope peptide and incorporate an adjuvant to induce the body into producing antibodies against the normal self-proteins, such as HER2 or PD-1 (known as breaking immune tolerance). The antibodies produced following the vaccination are a ‘polyclonal’ mixture of antibodies that bind to different parts of the vaccine antigen. This makes them somewhat different to the monoclonal antibody drugs, even though they bind to the same target in the body.

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Technology: Mimotopes

Mimotopes are peptides that mimic the effects of specific B-cell epitopes in stimulating an immune response. Immunization with such mimotopes would be expected to induce an immune response directed at the target disease related antigen. As such they have great utility as potential immunotherapeutic approaches for various cancers in much the same way as HER-Vaxx is being used to stimulate an immune response to the tumour antigen HER2 in breast or gastric cancer.

Using a proprietary screening platform, it has been possible to screen libraries of peptides using antibodies for candidates that mimic the effect of target epitopes. Imugene has acquired an option to continue this research and development of Mimotope Vaccines with the Company’s scientific team in Austria.

Technology: Arginine Modulators

Recent literature (review, ref 1) has highlighted a conspicuous absence of small molecule drugs with application to cancer therapy in the new era of immuno-oncology[1]. Modulating the immune system through a small-molecule approach offers several unique advantages that are complementary to, and potentially synergistic with, biologic modalities. The review highlighted immuno-oncology pathways and mechanisms that can be best or solely targeted by small-molecule medicines. Agents aimed at these mechanisms — modulation of the immune response — are poised to significantly extend the scope of immuno-oncology applications and enhance the opportunities for combination with tumour-targeted agents and biologic immunotherapies.

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Last updated 13th Febuary 2019

Leslie Chong
CEO & Managing Director

Ms Chong has over 20 years of oncology experience in Phase I – III of clinical program development, including leadership role involvement in two marketed oncology products. She was previously Senior Clinical Program Lead at Genentech, Inc., in San Francisco. Genentech is widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful biotech companies with a strong oncology franchise including the best-selling breast cancer drug Herceptin.

Paul Hopper
Executive Director

Mr Hopper has international & ASX biotech capital markets experience, particularly in immuno-oncology & vaccines. He is the former Chairman of Viralytics (acquired in June 2018 by Merck for $500m), Founder & Director of Prescient, Founder of Imugene & Polynoma LLC, former Director pSivida, Somnomed & Fibrocell Science.

Dr Axel Hoos
Non-Executive Director

Dr Axel Hoos is Senior Vice President and Head of Oncology at GSK. Before his current role, he was at Bristol-Myers Squibb where he was Medical Lead for the development of the Yervoy, the first survival-improving medicine in immuno-oncology. He is Chairman of the Board of the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Co-Chair of the Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium Think-Tank.

Charles Walker
Non-Executive Director

Mr Walker is an experienced listed biotech CEO and CFO, He is experienced in financial markets including executing 55 international tech corporate transactions. His clinical experience includes managing pipeline of drugs in all stages from discovery, through to Phase III and to launched products.

Last updated 13th February 2019

Head Office:

37 Bligh Street
Suite 1006, Level 10
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Email: [email protected]

Registered Office:

62 Lygon Street, Level 3
Carlton VIC 3053
Australia

Phone: +61.3.9824.5254

ABN: 99 009 179 551

Share Registry:

Automic Registry Services
Level 1, 7 Ventnor Avenue
West Perth WA 6005
Australia

Phone: +61.8.9324.2099
Fax: +61.8.9321.2337

Website: www.automic.com.au
ASX Code: IMU

Postal address:

P.O. Box 655
Carlton South VIC 3053
Australia

Last updated 13th February 2019