On March 27, 2019 ENTEROME SA, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging its unique knowledge of the key functional and molecular interactions between the gut microbiome and the human body to develop targeted therapeutics, reported it will present data on its innovative microbiome-based approach for the development of therapeutic peptide cancer vaccines for the first time in a poster at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2019 in Atlanta, GA, USA (March 29 to April 3) (Press release, Enterome, MAR 27, 2019, View Source [SID1234534662]).

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Enterome’s innovative approach is based on the concept of "molecular mimicry" whereby microbiome-derived bacterial antigens show molecular similarity with Tumor-associated Antigens (TAAs) and Tumor-specific Neoantigens (TSNAs). Based on this similarity, bacterial antigens ("onco-mimics") mimic key tumor antigens that are highly expressed by tumors to trigger tumor-specific cytotoxic T cell immune responses.

Enterome has developed a proprietary discovery platform to identify such bacterial onco-mimics from the human gut microbiome. The data to be presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2019 demonstrate that onco-mimics identified by Enterome elicited strong immune responses against self-peptides that were, by themselves, not immunogenic. While mice vaccinated with TAAs did not generate an immune response, vaccination with onco-mimics were observed to result in a strong immune response against both bacterial peptides and selected TAAs. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of T cells from mice immunized with onco-mimics into tumor-engrafted nude mice led to tumor control in the presence of checkpoint inhibitors.

Dr. Christophe Bonny, CSO of Enterome, commented: "We are very excited by these data that we believe represent an early validation of our innovative approach to cancer immunotherapy. It is now well recognized that the gut microbiome plays an important role in driving the development of T cells and the presence of commensal-specific memory T-cells. We believe our approach, based on bacterial molecular mimicry, has the potential to open up opportunities to develop new targeted therapies against tumor cells that are not detected as non-self by the immune system."

Enterome’s first product candidate developed using its molecular mimicry approach, EO2401, comprises three onco-mimics that are highly homologous to solid tumor antigens. Enterome expects to initiate a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of EO2401 in 2019 as a potential new immunotherapy for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), for which no curative treatments exist.

The presentation details are:

Poster title: Microbiome derived peptides stimulate strong immune response against tumor associated antigens and trigger in vivo tumor regression after vaccination
Session Title: Cancer Vaccines and Intratumoral Immunomodulation
Abstract ID#: 1475 (poster board 30)
Poster presentation: April 1, 8 am – 12 pm EST, Georgia World Congress Center, Exhibit Hall B, Poster Section 22

On March 27, 2019 Trillium Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq/TSX: TRIL), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer, reported it will be presenting preclinical data from its previously undisclosed STING agonist program at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) (Press release, Trillium Therapeutics, MAR 27, 2019, View Source [SID1234534705]). The meeting will be held March 29 – April 3 in Atlanta, GA. Details of the poster presentation are listed below.

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Title: "Preclinical characterization of a novel non-cyclic dinucleotide small molecule STING agonist with potent antitumor activity in mice"

Presenter: Zezhou Wang, Ph.D., Trillium Therapeutics Inc.

Date and Time: April 2, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET

Location: Georgia World Conference Center, Poster Section 12

Abstract Number: 3854

On March 27, 2019 XenTech SAS, a company specialized in the development and sale of preclinical research services to foster the development of oncology drugs, reported a strategic collaboration with Gustave Roussy, Europe’s leading cancer center (Press release, XENTECH, MAR 27, 2019, View Source [SID1234553821]). This co-operation, the first of its kind for XenTech, will focus on the development of a collection of tumor explant models from patients who developed acquired resistance to targeted therapies following initial response. These PDX models will be used in Gustave Roussy’s oncology R&D programs, as well as being added to XenTech’s existing PDX platform for translational oncology research projects for academic and industry customers.

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Patients with tumors that harbor specific driver molecular alterations benefit from targeted therapies, but responses are generally short-lived due to the emergence of adaptive/secondary resistance. Between 2015 and 2020 the MATCH-R trial led by Gustave Roussy (NCT02517892) will have enrolled 600 patients treated with targeted therapies. Biopsies will be used to generate PDX models, obtained from 300 patients who have developed resistance following initial response. The MATCH-R PDX platform will be regularly upgraded with new models, providing a unique resource in unravelling the mechanisms involved in acquired resistance to targeted therapies and testing novel therapeutic strategies to circumvent or delay the emergence of resistance.

"We are delighted to collaborate with Gustave Roussy on this unique and ambitious program," said Jean-Gabriel Judde, CSO and president of XenTech. "These new models will expand XenTech’s bank of PDX models with focus on the advanced drug-resistant setting. The MATCH-R PDX platform will enable a better understanding of acquired resistance to last-generation targeted therapies, providing clinically relevant models to perform preclinical POC studies, translating into increased patient survival. Full clinical and molecular annotation will enable model selection for testing innovative therapies, investigating new and existing pathways, and identifying biomarkers."

"Understanding the mechanisms of acquired resistance to novel targeting agents is crucial in providing optimal care to cancer patients," said Benjamin Besse, head of the department of medical oncology at Gustave Roussy and principal investigator of the MATCH-R clinical trial. "This strategic collaboration with XenTech, a renowned expert in PDX development and in vivo pharmacological studies, is a major asset for Gustave Roussy’s precision medicine program. There is no doubt that these clinically relevant models will speed-up the development of novel therapeutic agents leading to extended clinical benefit for metastatic cancer patients."

XenTech will participate in American Association Cancer Research Annual Meeting, Friday, March 29 – Wednesday, April 3, 2019, in Atlanta, GA.

On March 27, 2019 New immunotherapy drug targets for cancer will be progressed through a multimillion-pound drug discovery alliance reported (Wednesday) between Cancer Research UK, LifeArc and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (Press release, LifeArc, MAR 27, 2019, View Source [SID1234534663]).

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The multi-year partnership brings together Cancer Research UK’s network of world-leading scientists and drug discovery expertise, LifeArc’s renowned therapeutic antibody engineering and development expertise, and Ono’s considerable track record in developing cancer immunotherapies.

The collaboration will identify targets for the development of both antibody and small molecule therapeutics. Boosted by a multimillion-pound investment from Ono and a further investment from LifeArc, drug discovery experts will be pursuing targets within Cancer Research UK’s extensive portfolio of immuno-oncology research.

This new collaboration expands upon an existing alliance between Cancer Research UK and LifeArc announced in 2017. Ono’s investment and expertise will help identify new therapeutic targets, accelerate target validation within the alliance, and support validated targets through the drug discovery phase.

Under the terms of the deal, LifeArc will progress antibody projects via its antibody screening and development expertise. Small molecule projects will be taken forward by Cancer Research UK’s Therapeutic Discovery Labs.

Morphological changes in breast cancer cellsOno will have option rights to licence the outputs of the alliance and take on clinical development and commercialisation of successful projects with worldwide exclusive rights. Cancer Research UK and LifeArc will receive an upfront access fee for entering the alliance, as well as additional upfront, milestone, and royalty payments for licensed projects.

Dr Hamish Ryder, director of Cancer Research UK’s Therapeutic Discovery Labs, said: "We’re thrilled to welcome Ono to join and expand our successful collaboration with LifeArc and create one of our most ambitious alliances to date. This unique alliance is a melting pot of world-leading cancer research and each organisation’s extensive expertise in oncology drug discovery.

"As we enter into a new age of immuno-therapeutic approaches to cancer care, we hope that this partnership will accelerate the development of new treatments, bringing them to patients with cancer much faster."

LifeArc CEO, Melanie Lee, noted; "At LifeArc, we are committed to translating medical innovation to benefit patients with new therapies, diagnostics or by building on the understanding of disease. This collaboration with Cancer Research UK and Ono is an example of how shared goals and collaboration can create real value."

"We greatly appreciate Cancer Research UK’s network of scientists, drug discovery expertise together with LifeArc’s antibody development capabilities," said Dr. Toichi Takino, Ph.D., Corporate Officer and Executive Director, Discovery and Research of Ono.

"We are very pleased to join in the successful collaboration between Cancer Research UK and LifeArc and we believe that we together will successfully identify novel drug candidates for new cancer treatment in the immuno-oncology field, which will be further developed and commercialized by us throughout the world and fulfil unmet medical needs."

On March 27, 2019 Elicio Therapeutics, a next generation immuno-oncology company, engineering therapies for cancer killing immune responses, reported the appointment of Robert Connelly as CEO (Press release, Elicio Therapeutics, MAR 27, 2019, View Source [SID1234534680]). Elicio is developing precision vaccines, immuno stimulators and cellular therapies based on the ground-breaking work of Darrell Irvine, Ph.D., Professor of Biological Engineering and Materials Sciences and Howard Hughes Investigator at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Elicio was formed to transform the lives of patients by re-engineering the body’s immune response to cancer. By combining expertise in materials science and immunology, Elicio is engineering potent cancer vaccines and immunotherapies for an array of aggressive solid and hematologic cancers. Elicio’s Amphiphile platform enables, for the first time, precise targeting and delivery of immunogens directly to the lymphatic system, substantially enhancing the body’s own system of immune defenses, with the aim to achieve durable cures.

Elicio has demonstrated promising preclinical data in multiple in vivo models of cancer. The company’s lead vaccines targeting pancreatic, colorectal and head and neck cancers will enter initial patient studies in the first half of 2020. These programs are followed by a broad preclinical pipeline of vaccines, adjuvants, cellular therapy vaccines and immuno stimulatory therapeutics.

Elicio Executive Chairman Julian Adams, Ph.D., commented, "The Amphiphile platform developed by Elicio alongside Darrell Irvine and his MIT team has the potential to truly unlock the immune response leading to durable cures for an array of cancers. We are delighted to bring in Robert Connelly, a proven entrepreneur and leader, to build this company as we enter our initial patient trials."

"I am honored to lead this amazing Elicio team and work closely with Julian and Darrell," said Robert Connelly, CEO of Elicio. "The great early promise of cancer vaccines has fallen well short and exciting new immunotherapies often fail or are limited due to their inability to target and concentrate in lymph nodes, where the immune response is orchestrated. There is no other platform that can potentially produce highly effective cancer vaccines and adjuvants while also combining with cellular therapies such as CAR-T, TILs, and NK cells to substantially enhance their effectiveness and address their deficiencies."

Connelly is a prolific entrepreneur and company builder with more than 30 years of experience in the life science industry, nearly 20 of those spent as a CEO building startup and early stage novel therapeutic platform companies. He was the founding CEO and first employee of Domantis, which sold to GlaxoSmithKline in 2007 for $454 million, and served as CEO of Pulmatrix (NASDAQ: PULM) and Axcella Health, as well as a Director on numerous biotechnology company Boards. Over the course of his career, Mr. Connelly has raised over $300 million in private equity financing, led numerous partnering transactions including product and platform licensing, government and foundation funding, and M&A transactions, and launched innovative platforms and products across disease areas. Mr. Connelly also serves as a director for Anchiano Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ANCH) and was previously a Venture Partner with Flagship Pioneering. Connelly began his career at Abbott Laboratories.