Scancell Holdings PLC (LON:SCLP) saw its shares advance today after the firm agreed another collaborative development for its Moditope anti-cancer platform.
Dutch group ISA Pharmaceutical will incorporate its Amplivant technology into Modi-1, the first cancer treatment candidate being developed on the platform. Eventually, the collaboration might offer new treatments for triple negative breast cancer, ovarian, sarcomas and other solid tumours.
WATCH: New Scancell chief sets out his vision to commercialise groundbreaking cancer treatments
Scancell will make an (undisclosed) upfront payment in return for an exclusive worldwide licence to manufacture, develop and commercialise Amplivant:Modi-1.
Clinical studies are scheduled to start in the first half of 2019.
Moditope is an immunotherapy agent that acts to stimulate the production of killer CD4+ T cells, the body’s own defence against tumours.
Amplivant enables lower doses and improves efficacy by enabling the body to better recognise cancerous cells and attack them with T cells.
Cliff Holloway, Scancell’s chief executive, said working with ISA was an important first step towards commercialising the Moditope immunotherapy, Modi-1.
READ: Scancell to receive patent protection for key cancer platform
“Our pre-clinical studies have demonstrated Modi-1 induces potent anti-tumour responses and significant improvements in survival”.
“We believe that combining Modi-1 with an enabling adjuvant technology such as Amplivant has the potential to significantly enhance its efficacy in patients.”
Ronald Loggers, ISA’s chief executive, added: "The partnership will further validate the power of Amplivant conjugates for use in therapeutic cancer vaccines."
Last year, Scancell agreed a Moditope collaboration with another European firm, BioNTech for high-throughput cloning and characterisation of naturally selected T-cell receptors.
In late afternoon trading, Scancell shares were up 12% at 140.
-- Adds share price --