ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Licenses Novel Immunotherapeutic Target EphA2 from University of Pittsburgh - MarketWatch

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Licenses Novel Immunotherapeutic Target EphA2 from University of Pittsburgh - MarketWatch

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Licenses Novel Immunotherapeutic Target EphA2 from University of Pittsburgh

LOS ANGELES, Mar 22, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ImmunoCellular Therapeutics IMUC +12.14% today announced that it has entered into an agreement with University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) under which Pitt has licensed to the Company intellectual property surrounding EphA2, a tyrosine kinase receptor that is highly expressed by ovarian cancer and other advanced and metastatic malignancies. This agreement grants a world-wide exclusive license to the Pitt intellectual property for ovarian and pancreatic cancers; and a world-wide non-exclusive license to the Pitt intellectual property for brain cancer. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The Company will employ the Pitt intellectual property in the development and commercialization of ICT-140, a multivalent, dendritic cell-based vaccine for the treatment of ovarian cancer. ICT-140 is designed to target cancer stem cells as well as daughter cells in ovarian cancer by targeting multiple different antigens including EphA2, mesothelin, Her-2/neu, IL-13Ra2 and several other undisclosed antigens......

abstract: Evaluation of ovarian cancer remission markers HE4, MMP7 and Mesothelin by comparison to the established marker CA125 (includes graphic/study of 23 patients)

 Highlights
(in study of 23 patients)

► Three new markers were compared to CA125 for lead time to ovarian cancer recurrence.
► HE4 elevates at recurrence when CA125 does not.
► Mesothelin has less marker potential, MMP7 shows promise and requires confirmation.
  
Evaluation of ovarian cancer remission markers HE4, MMP7 and Mesothelin by comparison to the established marker CA125: Publication year: 2012

Objective 
Evaluate and compare the effectiveness of CA125, HE4, Mesothelin and MMP7 marker levels to monitor ovarian cancer patients after surgery and chemotherapy. Evaluate the lead time of a rise of marker levels before recurrence.

Methods 
The study consists of 23 patients with advanced stage ovarian/fallopian tube cancer. Blood was drawn after front line surgery and chemotherapy treatment and at 3 month intervals thereafter. One patient had chemoresistant disease, two patients remained in remission and 20 patients had recurring disease and were used for marker evaluation.

Results
In five patients HE4 was the only marker to elevate before recurrence with a lead time of up to 4½ months including one patient who did not have a CA125 response at all. In a further two patients, HE4 increased before CA125 did. In four of these seven patients, HE4 levels were consistently at or above threshold during remission when both CA125 and imaging results were negative. MMP7 elevated before recurrence in one patient who was negative for the other markers. Mesothelin elevated in two patients who were also positive for CA125 and HE4.

Conclusions 
HE4 can predict ovarian cancer recurrence earlier than CA125 and it can be elevated in patients that do not express CA125 at sufficient levels to make a clinical decision. MMP7 and Mesothelin have lower potential as markers for ovarian cancer recurrence to complement CA125. A failure of HE4 levels to normalize at completion of standard therapy may indicate a poor prognosis.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

► Three new markers were compared to CA125 for lead time to ovarian cancer recurrence.
► HE4 elevates at recurrence when CA125 does not.
► Mesothelin has less marker potential, MMP7 shows promise and requires confirmation.

HE4 and Mesothelin: Novel Biomarkers of Ovarian Cancer

"Addition of mesothelin to this combination did not show any improvement in the sensitivity. Conclusions: As a single marker, HE4 had the highest sensitivity for detecting ovarian carcinoma specially early stage disease. Combined CA125 and HE4 was a more accurate predictor of ovarian malignancy than either alone."