Biothera’s Imprime PGG And Anti-Angiogenic Antibodies Work In Concert To Re-Orient The Immune Microenvironment To Support Cancer Killing, Study Finds

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New preclinical research demonstrating the combination of Biothera’s Imprime PGG and anti-angiogenic antibodies re-orients the immune microenvironment to suppress tumor growth will be presented today at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics.

Imprime PGG is an immune potentiator that represents the next step in immune oncology. This mid clinical stage cancer immunotherapeutic is a first-in-class, well-tolerated, systemically administered beta glucan PAMP (pathogen-associated molecular pattern). As a PAMP, Imprime PGG binds directly to the cells of the innate immune system, triggering the anti-cancer functionality of the innate effector cells (macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils), enhancing antigen presentation and enabling T cell expansion and increased production of the critical anti-tumor cytokine interferon gamma (IFN?).

“We know that Imprime PGG treatment can stimulate the direct tumor killing activities of the innate immune system. Our latest research further expands our understanding of Imprime’s mechanism of action and shows that Imprime in combination with anti-angiogenic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can promote a profound shift away from the immunosuppressive microenvironment that typifies most tumors to create an immune microenvironment that fosters immune recognition and disease control,” said Jeremy Graff, Ph.D., SVP Research and Chief Scientific Officer, Biothera Pharmaceutical Inc.

Angiogenic factors, such as VEGF, drive the formation of new leaky blood vessels that facilitate the establishment of a suppressive immune microenvironment, supporting tumor survival and growth. Recent work has shown that, by blocking neovascularization and normalizing blood flow, anti-angiogenic mAbs can promote a shift in the immune microenvironment, enabling immune recognition and destruction of the tumor. Biothera studies showed that Imprime PGG in combination with either bevacizumab (Avastin^®) or the mouse version of Lilly’s ramucirumab (Cyramza^®) suppressed tumor growth more substantially than either antibody alone and triggered significant changes within these tumor tissues in the expression of key genes that herald immune recognition.

The Biothera poster presentation (#A3) will be held today from 12:15 pm to 3:15 pm in Session A, Hall C-D. The abstract is titled: Imprime PGG triggers a coordinated anti-cancer immune response in concert with anti-angiogenic antibodies, re-polarizing the immune microenvironment to suppress tumor growth. Authors: Kathryn Fraser, Nadine Ottoson, Xiahong Qiu, Anissa SH Chan, Adria Jonas, Takashi Kangas, Jeremy Graff, Nandita Bose.

About Biothera
Biothera is a privately held biotechnology company developing Imprime PGG, a first-in-class cancer immunotherapy that orchestrates a fully integrated anti-cancer immune response in combination with tumor- and angiogenesis-targeting monoclonal antibodies. Proof of concept has been established from single-arm and randomized phase 2 studies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Studies are ongoing in metastatic colorectal cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. More information is available at www.biothera.com/pharma or follow us on Twitter.

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