What the company does
AIM-listed Scancell Holdings PLC's (LON:SCLP) primary focus is to develop innovative immunotherapies for cancer that stimulate the body’s own immune system. while as of 2020 it has also started research on a potential COVID-19 vaccine. It is working on four projects:
- ImmunoBody are DNA-based vaccines designed to generate potent T cell responses capable of a broad anti-tumour effect. There are two candidates being developed, SCIB1 and SCIB2.
- Moditope is a platform based on exploiting the normal immune responses that remove stressed cells and represents a unique class of potent vaccines that is characterised by the induction of CD4 cytotoxic T cells. Based on this technology, Scancell is working on Modi-1 and Modi-2 vaccines.
- Avidimab are anti-glycan monoclonal antibodies. Glycosylation is a modification that occurs inside the cell and results in the addition of sugar motifs, “glycans”, to proteins and lipids that are, in most cases, destined for the cell surface. It is increasingly recognised as a modulator of the malignant phenotype of cancer cells, where the interaction between cells and the tumour micro-environment is altered to facilitate processes such as drug resistance and metastasis.
- Research for a COVID-19 vaccine based on Scancell's proven cancer vaccine concept. It is part of a collaboration with scientists in the newly established Centre for Research on Global Virus Infections and the new Biodiscovery Institute at the University of Nottingham, and Nottingham Trent University, while Cobra Biologics agreed to manufacture the plasmid DNA needed to generate the inoculation against the virus.
How it is doing
In February, Scancell announced it would either develop its cancer immunotherapy in-house or with a new partner after ending a clinical development tie-up with Cancer Research UK (CRUK).
The decision to curtail clinical development work on Scancell target SCIB2 followed a re-assessment of the charity’s collaboration model in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
CRUK was due to fund and sponsor a phase I/II trial of SCIB2 in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor drug in patients with solid tumours.
The product rights will now revert to Scancell with no further commercial obligations to CRUK, Scancell said.
In its results for the six months ended October 31, 2020, the developer of immunotherapies said it ended the period with £25.7mln in cash compared to £3.6mln in April last year, while post-period another £20.5mln had been raised from the issue of convertible loan notes and an open offer to shareholders.
In the figures, the pre-revenue company reported a pre-tax loss for the period of £4.3mln compared to £3.08mln in the prior year.
What the boss says: Cliff Holloway, chief executive
"We have enjoyed working with the team at Cancer Research UK but will now explore further options to advance the SCIB2 programme which we believe has the potential to provide a much-needed treatment option for patients suffering from a range of common solid tumours."
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