Scancell Holdings PLC (LON:SCLP) and the cancer charity Cancer Research UK have announced further progress with Scancell's SCIB2 cancer immunotherapy vaccine.
Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that the administration of SCIB2 as a liposomal nanoparticle results in potent immune responses and prolonged survival.
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The nanoparticle technology uses known lipid (soluble biomolecules) carriers that are optimised to deliver SCIB2 DNA to immune cells. The liposomal nanoparticles protect the DNA from degradation and facilitate efficient uptake, expression and T-cell activation against cancer cells, said Scancell.
The nanoparticle delivery system provides an alternative approach to electroporation - an electrical technique that involves the application of high-voltage electric pulses in short bursts – that has been used to deliver other ImmunoBody agents to patients.
Cancer Research UK is now planning a clinical trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of the SCIB2-nanoparticle complex in patients with solid tumours.
Dr Cliff Holloway, the chief executive officer of Scancell, said the latest milestone “moves us one step closer to entering the clinic”.
“This new nanoparticle approach to deliver SCIB2 is expected to achieve results that are as effective as, or even better than, electroporation. We believe SCIB2 has the potential to provide a much-needed treatment option for patients suffering from a range of common solid tumours including NSCLC, the most frequent cause of cancer death globally,” Holloway added.
Dr Nigel Blackburn, Cancer Research UK's director of drug development, said the vaccine could bring about urgently needed improvements for some cancer treatments.
“Our collaboration with Scancell, combining extensive expertise and experience in drug development, will help bring this treatment to the patients that need it sooner,” Blackburn declared.
Shares in Scancell were up 12% at 4.75p in early deals.