OncoQuest Announces Enrollment of First Patient in Phase 1/2 Clinical Study Using Combination of Oregovomab with Checkpoint Inhibitor Nivolumab in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
TSX Venture: QPT
EDMONTON, May 9, 2017 /CNW/ - Quest PharmaTech Inc. (TSX-V: QPT) ("Quest" or the "Company"), today announces that its subsidiary, OncoQuest Inc. ("OncoQuest"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapeutic products for the treatment of cancer, has completed the enrollment of the first patient in a Phase 1/2 clinical study to evaluate the use of oregovomab in combination with Nivolumab, an anti-PD1 human monoclonal antibody which works as a checkpoint inhibitor in ovarian cancer patients in the recurrent setting. This clinical trial is being conducted at the National Cancer Centre in Singapore ("NCCS"), with Dr. Tira Tan as Principal Investigator, Adjunct Associate Professor John Chia from Oncocare Cancer Centre as the Study Chair, and Dr. Jack Chan as the co-chair.
"We are extremely excited about launching this study," noted Dr. John Chia. "Ovarian cancer is a lethal disease, and this trial may offer new hope for our patients. Early clinical data suggests that oregovomab may improve the immune system's processing of cancer antigens, and enhance the immune ability to recognize these cancer targets. We believe that the combination of oregovomab and Nivolumab, which amplifies such immune activity, will have a synergistic effect to elicit a higher quality tumor immune response, and hence improve control of the cancer." This will be the first clinical trial testing the combination of oregovomab with a checkpoint inhibitor as potential treatment of ovarian cancer in the recurrent setting.
"We continue to explore the potential of oregovomab in various stages of the progression of ovarian cancer," said Dr. Madiyalakan, CEO of Quest and OncoQuest. In frontline ovarian cancer, OncoQuest has recently announced positive interim results from its randomized controlled multi-center Phase 2 clinical trial with oregovomab as an indirect immunizer, in scheduled combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel. "In the recurrent setting, we are exploring the use of oregovomab with immune adjuvants in two clinical trials. The trial NCCS is conducting is in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor. We are also in the process of initiating a trial in U.S. in combination with a TLR3 agonist, Hiltonol®," continued Dr. Madiyalakan.
About Oregovomab
Oregovomab is OncoQuest's high affinity monoclonal antibody (Mab B43.13) that is designed to bind to the tumor associated antigen CA125 (also designated MUC16) and initiate a cascade of immune responses against this glycoprotein. CA125 is expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer on the tumor surface but it is also shed into the circulation. OncoQuest believes that carboplatin paclitaxel based chemotherapy used in front line treatment in precisely scheduled combination with oregovomab can improve outcomes relative to chemotherapy alone and is currently exploring the role of select immune adjuvants and checkpoint inhibition to assess oregovomab's application in advanced disease settings. The Company plans to initiate Phase 3 development of this product in an optimal combination with commercial grade antibody product when the current combinatorial Phase 2 program is completed.
About Quest PharmaTech Inc.
Quest PharmaTech is a publicly traded, Canadian based pharmaceutical company developing products to improve the quality of life. The Company through its subsidiary, OncoQuest is developing antibody based immunotherapeutic products for cancer (www.oncoquestinc.com) . In addition, the Company owns the Photodynamic Therapy technology for oncology and dermatology applications, licensed to BioCeltran Co., Ltd., a Korea based company (Bioceltran). Quest has an ownership interest in Bioceltran which is focused on SP Technology™ for transdermal delivery of drugs and photosensitizers for pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes. Quest also markets consumer health products worldwide, including Bellus Skin™ serum, a premium anti-wrinkle skin care product licensed from Korea. Quest is also developing an antibody licensed from University of Nebraska, Mab AR 9.6 against truncated O-glycan on MUC16, for targeted cancer therapy applications.
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SOURCE Quest PharmaTech Inc.
For further information: Dr. Madi R. Madiyalakan, Chief Executive Officer, Quest PharmaTech Inc., Tel: (780) 448-1400 Ext. 204, Email: [email protected]; Internet: www.questpharmatech.com, www.oncoquestinc.com, www.madencobio.com, www.bellusskin.com
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