On April 25, 2022 Medigene AG ( View Source) (Medigene, FSE: MDG1, Prime Standard), an immuno-oncology company focusing on the development of T-cell-based cancer therapies, reported the publication of a new peer-reviewed publication in the journal Cancers showing that the chimeric PD1-41BB receptor augments antigen-specific activity of T cell receptor-modified T cells (TCR-T cells) while retaining a favorable safety profile (Press release, MediGene, APR 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234612914]). The data suggests that the PD1-41BB switch receptor is a promising tool to overcome PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition in the tumor microenvironment of solid cancer without the negative side-effects associated with the use of systemic PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor antibodies.

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The inhibitory PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint axis is a negative influence on T cell efficacy, fitness and persistence. Systemic use of anti-checkpoint antibodies benefits clinical outcomes in some patients but is often associated with drug-related immunotoxicities. Medigene developed the PD1-41BB chimeric receptor, which is exclusively expressed in the therapeutically active TCR-T cells to switch inhibitory PD-1/PD-L1 interactions into positive signals that enhance antigen-specific TCR-T cell function.

The publication describes how Medigene isolated the HLA-A2-restricted, PRAME-specific T cell receptor (TCR) "TCR-4" from blood from healthy donors (tapping a non-tolerized T cell repertoire) and how TCR-T cells expressing TCR-4 and the PD1-41BB switch receptor show improved effector functions, a favorable safety profile in vitro, reject tumors in vivo and have a poly-cytokine profile upon antigen-specific activation.

Prof. Dolores Schendel, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of Medigene: "We are proud of the high quality of this TCR that we identified and subsequently characterized using our proprietary high-throughput TCR screening technology. Also, after more than 40 years in T cell research, I am deeply impressed by how much our PD1-41BB switch receptor enhances the functional properties of TCR-T cells. BioNTech has also recognized the potential in our technologies and purchased the "TCR-4" program as well as received licenses to the PD1-41BB switch receptor. We believe that these and other approaches which we are developing will be the key to obtaining greater efficacy in TCR-T immunotherapies against solid cancers."

The Cancers publication is titled "T-Cells Expressing a Highly Potent PRAME-Specific T-Cell Receptor in Combination with a Chimeric PD1-41BB Co-Stimulatory Receptor Show a Favorable Preclinical Safety Profile and Strong Anti-Tumor Reactivity" and has recently been published online: View Source

On April 25, 2022 Theratechnologies Inc. ("Theratechnologies" or "the Company") (TSX: TH) (NASDAQ: THTX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies, reported the Company’s participation in Bloom Burton & Co.’s Healthcare Investor Conference 2022 (Press release, Theratechnologies, APR 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234612913]).

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Theratechnologies Presentation Details:

Date: Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Presentation Time: 1:30PM ET
Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Track B

The conference which features 66 of Canada’s premier publicly-traded and venture-backed private companies together with the most promising pre-venture companies in the healthcare industry. Investors have the opportunity to obtain corporate updates from presenting companies and participate in Bloom Burton’s 1-on-1 meeting system with company management. Only registered attendees can participate in the event. Register HERE to attend the event.

On April 25, 2022 Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE, "Sorrento") reported that Dr. Henry Ji, Chairman and CEO of Sorrento and Executive Chairman of Scilex Holding Company ("Scilex"), will participate in the B. Riley Virtual Neuro & Opthalmology Healthcare Conference at 10:00AM ET on April 27, 2022 (Press release, Sorrento Therapeutics, APR 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234612912]). Live audio of the event can be accessed by visiting the "Events" page of Sorrento’s website at sorrentotherapeutics.com. Dr. Henry Ji will present on the Neuroscience programs and pipeline for Sorrento and Scilex.

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B. Riley 2022 Virtual Neuro & Opthalmology Healthcare Conference
Presentation will be available on April 27-28, 2022
Presentation Time: 10:00AM – 10:30AM ET or 7:00AM – 7:30AM PT
Webcast Link: View Source
An updated corporate presentation will also be available at www.sorrentotherapeutics.com

Scilex Holding Company and Vickers Vantage Corp. I (Nasdaq: VCKA) ("VCKA"), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Vickers Venture Fund VI Pte Ltd and Vickers Venture Fund VI (Plan) Pte Ltd, entered into a definitive business combination agreement ("BCA") on March 17, 2022. Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company (the "Combined Company") will be renamed Scilex Holding Company, and its common stock is expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "SCLX". The boards of directors of each of VCKA, Scilex and Sorrento have unanimously approved the proposed transaction. The closing of the transaction, which is expected to occur by the third quarter of 2022, is subject to the approval of VCKA’s shareholders and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other customary closing conditions.

A corporate presentation describing Scilex’s development plans can be found at www.scilexholding.com.

On April 25, 2022 Silence Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq: SLN), a leader in the discovery, development and delivery of novel short interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) therapeutics for the treatment of diseases with significant unmet medical need, reported that it will receive a $2.0 million cash payment from Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Company Limited ("Hansoh") following the achievement of an undisclosed preclinical milestone (Press release, Silence Therapeutics, APR 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234612911]).

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Silence and Hansoh entered a collaboration in October 2021 to develop siRNAs leveraging Silence’s proprietary mRNAi GOLD platform for three undisclosed targets. Under the terms of the agreement, Silence has exclusive rights to the first two targets in all territories except the China region (Greater China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). Hansoh has the exclusive option to license rights to those two targets in the China region and global rights to the third target.

Hansoh made a $16 million upfront payment to Silence and Silence is eligible to receive up to $1.3 billion in additional development, regulatory and commercial milestones. This marks the first research milestone achieved under the collaboration. Silence is also eligible to receive royalties tiered from low double-digit to mid-teens on Hansoh net product sales.

On April 26, 2022 Priothera Ltd, a late-clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of its S1P receptor modulator compound, mocravimod, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided clearance to proceed with the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application to begin its pivotal Phase 2b/3 study of mocravimod (named MO-TRANS) (Press release, Priothera, APR 25, 2022, View Source [SID1234612910]).

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Priothera will initiate the MO-TRANS global Phase 2b/3 study in Europe, US and Japan, assessing the efficacy and safety of mocravimod as an adjunctive and maintenance therapy in adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients undergoing allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). The MO-TRANS study is expected to start in the second half of 2022 and preliminary data from this study are expected by the end of 2024.

Allogenic stem cell transplantation is the only potentially curative approach for AML patients, however current treatment options are still associated with a high number of side effects, and high mortality rates.

Florent Gros, Co-Founder and CEO of Priothera, commented "The FDA IND clearance to initiate the MO-TRANS study assessing mocravimod in AML patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT is another major milestone for Priothera. We are on track to initiate this pivotal Phase 2b/3 clinical trial and are looking forward to working alongside a large team of enthusiastic investigators across the US, Europe and Asia, who share our goal of bringing mocravimod to patients as an adjunctive and maintenance treatment for AML and potentially other hematologic malignancies."

About Mocravimod
Mocravimod (also known as KRP203), is a synthetic, sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) modulator. This novel investigational drug has been assessed in Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials for safety and tolerability, as well as for efficacy in several autoimmune indications. Promising data from a Phase 1b/2a clinical study in patients with hematological malignancies led Priothera to further develop mocravimod for the treatment of blood cancers.

Mocravimod will be investigated as an adjunctive and maintenance treatment in a Phase 2b/3 study as a potential treatment for patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Allogenic HSCT is the only potentially curative approach for AML patients, but current treatments have unacceptably high mortality and morbidity rates.

Priothera leverages S1PR modulator’s unique mode of action to maintain anti-leukemia activity – graft-versus leukemia (GVL) while reducing tissue damage resulting from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a consequence of allogenic HSCT. This novel treatment approach – mocravimod being the only S1PR modulator treating blood cancers – tackles a high unmet medical need and intends to add quality life to patients.