Strasbourg, France, July 24, 2017, 5:45 p.m. CET - Transgene (Euronext Paris: TNG), a biotech company that designs and develops viral-based immunotherapies, announces that new and encouraging preclinical data on its next generation armed engineered oncolytic virus platform have been published in Cancer Research. The publication presents key findings of Transgene’s latest improved vaccinia virus backbone expressing the Fcu1 gene, which is engineered to transform the non-cytotoxic pro-drug, flucytosine (5-FC), into 5-FU, a widely-used cancer chemotherapy.
These preclinical data further strengthen the preclinical data package of Transgene’s most advanced next generation oncolytic virus, TG6002, which is expected to enter the clinic in the coming months in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
The key results reported in the publication titled, “Immune checkpoint blockade, immunogenic chemotherapy or IFN-a blockade boost the local and abscopal effects of oncolytic virotherapy” are:
• The next generation oncolytic virus demonstrated its ability to induce complete response in the primary tumor and immune-mediated regression of distant metastases;
• This oncolytic virus induced immunogenic tumor cell death and generated a systemic immune response. This response is associated with an increase of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells infiltration (particularly PD-1+ CD8+ T cells) and a decrease of regulatory T-cells in the tumor;
• The therapeutic activity of this next generation oncolytic virus was further enhanced when combined with either chemotherapy or with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as anti-PD-1 or anti-CTLA-4 antibodies.
Eric Quéméneur, PhD, Executive VP, Chief Scientific Officer, Transgene, said, “The publication of these very promising data in Cancer Research highlight the growing interest in the potential of engineered oncolytic viruses to play an important role in the treatment of cancer. Oncolytic virus drugs hold great promise given their ability to directly kill cancer cells, modulate the tumor micro-environment as well as act systemically to address distant metastases. Transgene is making significant progress in the development of its next generation of multifunctional oncolytic viruses. We believe that, armed with new enzymes, monoclonal antibodies, chemokines and cytokines, this next generation of oncolytic viruses will have the potential to transform the treatment of cancer.”
