Scancell cancer vaccines

[Roger]

This week - the 'Immuno-Oncology Summit Europe'.
From a Scancell announcement today :-
''Prof. Lindy Durrant, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Scancell and Professor of Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Nottingham, will chair the session entitled: "Combining Checkpoint Inhibitors with Other Modalities" on Thursday 23 March 2017. Prof. Durrant is also featured as a presenter in this session and will deliver a presentation entitled: "Combinations of Novel Vaccines with Checkpoint Inhibitors".

ImmunoBody® utilises both cross- and direct-presentation to increase T-cell avidity by 100 fold.  In Phase 1/2 trials, it induced T-cell responses, tumour regression and long term survival. In combination with checkpoint inhibitors, it induced 100% tumour regression in established models. Phase 2 trials of ImmunoBody® vaccines in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer are being planned.

Moditope® stimulates powerful anti-tumour T-cell responses against neo-epitopes produced by enzymes induced by cellular stress. First-in-man clinical studies for breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteosarcoma are anticipated to commence in 2018.''

Why is the above Science important ?
ATM there is a massive investment by Pharma in Checkpoint Inhibitors which help up to 30% of Patients a little and are very toxic. There have been further expectations for I.O. in Combos, but the 'let-down' is perceived to have set in :-
 No startling results from Combos based on PD-1 and PDL-1
 Additional toxicities apparent with relapses a growing concern.
 Ongoing mono therapy results with CI are not encouraging for further Combos and something is needed to 'shake up the landscape'.

Go Scancell go ! For more - LSE.co.uk and SCLP for Scancell

[Roger]

The European Patent Office has now granted Patent on Scancell's DNA vaccine platform, 'Immunobody', to add to Patents already in USA, Japan and Australia. Immunobody (SCIB1) has targeted Stage 3/4 Patients with advanced melanoma and many in that trial are alive after 5 years or more. The next trial (SCIB2) will be in combo with Merck's 'Keytruda', a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, to tackle 85% of lung cancer Patients, NSCLC.

An eminent Poster on the Scancell BB, (Boomorbust) recently reminded us :-
''As we know, Scancell have shown in preclinical research that the combination of ImmunoBody and anti PD-1 increased response rates and resulted in 85% long term survival for SCIB1/PD-1 and 100% for SCIB2/PD1 and it is PD-1 that will be combined with SCIB1 in the forthcoming trial. Of course the potential market for combinations gets bigger with each FDA/EMA approval for new cancer targets.''

http://www.lse.co.uk/share-regulatory-news.asp?shareprice=SCLP&ArticleCode=6r1f0jfw&ArticleHeadline=DNA_ImmunoBody_Patent_Granted_in_Europe

Scancell's application for a Patent on 'Moditope', their second platform is under consideration but it has been suggested that a 'land grab' of this science too, is likely. Moditope addresses advanced cancer tumours without assistance of PD-1 or any other treatment. In pre-clinical work, the cancer has been halted in almost 100% of cases.

(Such research is always carried out on 'humanised mice' - Scancell's CEO was recently quoted as saying, ''We can't get the mice to die !'' such have been the outstanding indications).

Clinical trials of Moditope begin soon - the first targets are ovarian cancer, triple negative breast cancer and osteosarcoma.

I've invested in this over the last 6 years at an average cost of 20 pence per share. Jigger me the shares are now 10-11 pence which is a bargain IMO. (SCLP peaked once at 62 pence). When Pharmaworld wakes up, a price of many pounds is possible.
DYOR.  All good fun !

[enrico]

type up,  the secrets of underground medicine ? by andrew brad lemley ? it will make your eyes pop ?       E.F.M.

[Roger]

Hi Enrico. Yes I've seen that stuff. Thanks.

The CSO of Scancell, Prof. Lindy Durrant was one of the Chairs at the recent annual meeting of ASCO, the American Society for Clinical Oncology, the largest meeting of Oncologists in the World with 30,000 attending. Prof. Keith Flaherty an Associate Prof. at Harvard Medical School etc etc etc will be running the SCIB2 trial on lung cancer - he is widely repected as being among the top Oncologists in the World.

This is innovative science - have a look at it on www.scancell.co.uk

[Coolkorat]

Scancell is flagged as a 'Strong Buy' on This Is Money (see http://investing.thisismoney.co.uk/quote/SCLP)

Current price = 10.63p. Broker target price = 68.00p. If the shares achieved this it would be an increase of 540%!

Roger; how are you buying your shares? There are a number of online trading platforms but all come with operational costs and someone wanting to 'take a punt' may find the admin and trading costs make the process difficult. I am not familiar with any issues for a resident of Thailand (a) opening an account with a (presumably UK) trading platform and (b) supplying the client ID info that is likely to be required.

It may be possible to create a syndicate for a handfull of friends interested in small individual investments centred on an individual with an existing trading account, and the paperwork and logistics would be relatively straightforward, but again I am not sure of the legalities.

[Roger]

CK nice to see you around.
Panmure Gordon are Scancell's Brokers and their valuation is 79 pence.

$1 billion for Scancell's science would be about £3 a share.
$1 billion would be peanuts for the science they have - each Immunobody target and each Moditope target is worth a fortune. The market for Cancer Immunotherapy is predicted to be £70 billion p.a. worldwide in 10 years time.
In the USA where our Chairman is based, Biotechs can attract massive values.

I purchase through my online Halifax account which has a share trading facility. It's much easier to buy on the AIM market through a UK Bank/Broker account.

Have a look at the recent 'Hardman Report' listed under RNS on lse.co.uk / SCLP

Thanks for your interest and ATB

[Roger]

And here it is ! In the good ole DT 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/06/26/pioneering-british-firm-wins-patent-cancer-vaccines-technology/

Found this on the LSE Forum - can't find it on the DT website yet.

''In earlier pre-clinical trials on animals, Scancell found that when it re-challenged subjects with tumour cells after SCIB1 treatment this resulted in 100pc survival, indicating a powerful memory response. Industry insiders believe the fierce global race among pharma conglomerates to become IO market leaders make even small firms with limited clinical data such as Scancell a takeover target.

Scancell’s Immunobody patent lasts for 20 years and guarantees European competitors cannot copy or use the same scientific platform, protecting its future chances of success. The award follows similar patent protections granted to Scancell in the US, Australia and Japan.

Dr Richard Goodfellow, chief executive of Scancell, said: “The addition of this key European patent for DNA ImmunoBody significantly bolsters our global intellectual property portfolio as we position the company for future growth.”

Good news for many Patients one day, one hopes.

[Coolkorat]

Hi Roger

Seems worth a few £100's: almost like a charitable punt. The more support for the shares, the greater the investment in the research!

There are a number of ways to buy, this is one example: http://www.hl.co.uk/partners/search/buy-shares?theSource=PCGD4&Override=1&adg=G+FSG45+BSA+B&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4cLKBRCZmNTvyovvj-4BEiQAl_sgQsdppBbhIRVBfW96dH-tOarqnjz4eTQQzrBnRHIoilAaAuSb8P8HAQ

[Roger]

Nice to see my ailing punt on Scancell getting some publicity. In yesterday's FT, this very lightweight review appeared. In the same number of words, MUCH MUCH more could have been said. Never mind, at least the FT know Scancell exist !

August 18, 2017 1:44 pm by Sarah Neville, Global Pharmaceuticals Editor, FT

Scancell Holdings

Aim-listed Scancell, which has a market capitalisation of about £34m, has developed two technologies that have allowed it to create vaccines to treat cancers through harnessing the immune system to overcome a tumour’s defences against detection and destruction.

The first, called ImmunoBody, enables the company to generate DNA vaccines that stimulate anti-tumour T-cells. The first product to emerge from ImmunoBody is a vaccine for the treatment of melanoma. Richard Goodfellow, chief executive, says this has shown “outstanding survival data”, with eight of the patients treated in early stage clinical trials having reached the five-year survival mark.

Its second platform, Moditope, targets advanced or hard-to-treat cancers. Enrolment for the first human clinical studies for this are expected to begin next year.

Hardman & Co, a consultancy, says that with two differentiated platforms that could be applied to many types of cancer, “Scancell’s products will become part of the overall immunotherapy segment of the market, which is clearly a multibillion-dollar opportunity”.

On Friday the company’s share price was about 10p — down from 18p a year ago.

Noting that at one point the company’s market cap had been about £100m, Mr Goodfellow says “growth and valuation of companies like ours is not a linear process” as it tends to depend on the announcement of breakthroughs. When Scancell revealed the discovery of its most recent technology, Moditope, “everyone wanted to buy the shares, and in a thinly-traded market it went up from 5p to 60p in the space of a few months”.

Watch this space - MMmmm I've been doing that for 6 years now !

[Roger]

Cancer Research UK, the World's largest cancer Charity, are taking Scancell's second Immunobody vaccine under their wing for development. In pre-clinical trials, SCIB 2 was targeted at NSCLC (non small cell lung cancer) which is 85% of all lung cancer cases.

The shares are up just 20 % after an hours trading. The full announcement :-

''Cancer Research UK to progress SCIB2 into a Phase 1/2 study for patients with a range of solid tumours . . . .

Scancell Holdings PLC, a developer of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, and Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, are pleased to announce that they have entered into a Clinical Development Partnership to develop Scancell’s ImmunoBody® vaccine, SCIB2, for the treatment of patients with solid tumours, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Scancell’s ImmunoBody® immunotherapy platform activates the body’s immune system by enhancing the uptake and presentation of cancer antigens to help target and eliminate cancer cells. SCIB2, Scancell’s second ImmunoBody® therapy, targets an antigen called NY-ESO-1, which is expressed on a range of solid tumours, including NSCLC and oesophageal, ovarian, bladder and prostate cancers, as well as neuroblastoma, melanoma and sarcoma.

Under the terms of the Clinical Development Partnership, Cancer Research UK will fund and sponsor a UK-based Phase 1/2 clinical trial of SCIB2 in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor in patients with solid tumours, focusing on NSCLC in the first instance. The charity’s Centre for Drug Development (CDD) will be responsible for manufacturing the clinical trial supplies of SCIB2, conducting pre-clinical testing, sponsoring and managing the clinical trial, including the clinical trial timelines.

Following completion of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial, Scancell will have the option to acquire the rights to the data to support further development of SCIB2 itself. If Scancell elects not to exercise the option, Cancer Research UK will retain the right to take the SCIB2 programme forward in all indications.

Professor Lindy Durrant, Chief Scientific Officer of Scancell, commented: “We are delighted to announce this partnership with Cancer Research UK, which is a significant endorsement for our ImmunoBody® technology. The charity’s world-renowned expertise will no doubt be invaluable as we progress SCIB2 through the clinic. In pre-clinical studies, we have shown that a combination of SCIB2 and checkpoint inhibition produces enhanced tumour destruction and significantly longer survival times than when either treatment was used alone. We believe SCIB2 has the potential to provide a much needed treatment option for patients suffering from a range of common solid tumours.”

Dr Nigel Blackburn, Cancer Research UK’s director of drug development, said: “We’re excited to be giving our extensive expertise and experience in drug development to move this immunotherapy treatment into the clinic.

“This collaboration will ensure that this innovative vaccine reaches patients sooner and could bring about urgently needed improvements for some cancers which can be hard to treat, including lung cancer – a disease where survival rates remain stubbornly low.”

 

[Roger]

Copied courtesy of 'Boom' in the Scancell chatroom :-

''Well worth having another look at the SCIB2 poster on Scancell's website (link below).

For any newbies looking in, CRUK will carry out a trial of Scancell's lung cancer vaccine SCIB2 in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor. Checkpoint inhibitors are the immunotherapy drugs that you will have read about in the press. They represent a major breakthrough in the fight against cancer but only work in about 20% to 30% of patients so the race is on to find a combination treatment that will increase the response rate.

Results of Scancell's preclinical research, testing SCIB2 in combination with both CTLA4 (Yervoy) and PD-1 (Keytruda/Opdivo) are shown in the poster. I assume that the CRUK trial will be in combination with an anti PD-1, or possibly even PD-L1. You don't need to understand all of the detail on the poster, just look at section 9 and the conclusion:-

"Anti PD-1 Ab and SCIB2 alone delays tumour growth with long term survival of more than 50%, this is further enhanced to 100% of survival when these modalities are combined"

"When SCIB2 is given in combination with Treg depletion, CTLA-4 blockade or PD-1 blockade, long term survival from established tumours is significantly enhanced to 64, 67 and 100% respectively. "

Also worth remembering that SCIB2 isn't restricted by HLA-A2 subtype, it's effective in immune subtypes of over 90% of the population.

http://www.scancell.co.uk/file-manager/scientific-papers/pivac-scib2-poster.pdf

It will be very exciting to see if these results can be replicated in the clinic and great news that the Company will manage to achieve that via non-dilutive funding without giving away any of the IP.''

[Roger]

Worth a look if you have interest and time  . . 

https://twitter.com/scancellpharma

[Roger]

Sorry if it's boring - my last post on this for now :-

My good Pal, 'Prof. Inanaco' (of Pak nam Pran), posts yesterday :-
''Indeed the link that boom posted for SCIB2 was in the B16 cancer which is a melanoma which can also express the antigens NY_ESO-1 - appreciate that its not one variant of the epitope NY-ESO-1 in this instance it was 16 - so ...... NY-ESO-1 antigen such as lung, oesophageal, gastric, ovarian and bladder cancers. ImmunoBody® vaccines for prostate, liver and colorectal cancer have also been further advanced - making a total of 9 targets so far if you include scib1 in melanoma. Correction 10, brain cancer.''

My investment is still at a loss  But not for long 

[Alfie]

What's your particular interest in Scancell, Roger?

My investment is still at a loss  But not for long 

Only a financial interest? Shares in Scancell?

[Roger]

Hi Alfie. Yes I have a bucketful of shares in Scancell - it's a significant sum for me. I've been in for 7 years. IMHO the potential is stunning - not reflected in the share price yet. 

[Alfie]

Mmm. If you bought them at 5 pounds a share, you're doing OK. If you bought them at 75 pounds a share, you should be drinking very heavily as the sky seems to be falling in.

Hopefully they will come up with something soon that will boost their price.

[Roger]

UUmmm that's pence Alfie.
The share is 12.75 pence atm and my average is around 18 pence.
When the AIM market gets what is going on here, £5 a share is more than possible.
Maybe more. Hopefully.

[Alfie]

Ah, OK, pence. My mistake. But the basics remain the same. If you bought them at 5 pence a share, you're doing OK. If you bought them at 75 pence a share, they've lost about 83% of their value. If you bought them at 18p a share, they've only lost about 30% of their value. Fingers crossed!

[Roger]

Just an update for anyone interested - Scancell's 2nd platform - Moditope 3
In a nutshell, 144 teams entered for CRUK's Grand Challenge - up to £20 million research grants.
Scancell are on the shortlist of 10. Their topic for the challenge will be Modi3 and Scancell's Prof Lindy Durrant, will lead a team of 15 eminent Oncologist/Scientists in preparing the paper in cooperation with Genentech, (a major Biotech owned by Roche), BioNTech in Germany who are using Modi to adapt CAR-T type therapy, and ISA Pharma of Germany.

Pundits say that Moditope, taking away 100% of 'heavy tumour load' in pre-clinical work, can be an industry in itself. Share price 12 pence !


''Scancell Holdings plc, ('Scancell' or the 'Company') the developer of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, is proud to announce that an international, multi-disciplinary team of the leading cancer immunotherapy scientists in Europe and the US, led by Prof. Lindy Durrant, Chief Scientific Officer of Scancell, and in partnership with Genentech, BioNtech and ISA pharmaceuticals1, has been shortlisted to the final stages of Cancer Research UK's Grand Challenge2 - an ambitious series of £20 million global grants tackling some of the toughest questions in cancer research.  The team will collaborate on a project entitled "Project Blueprint: Eradicating established tumours with unique cancer vaccines".

Project Blueprint aims to eliminate tumours by treating patients with specific vaccines.  Prof. Lindy Durrant will lead an international world-class team to investigate the full potential of the tumour vaccine concept by building blueprints for an effective therapy for patients with most types of cancer.  The project focus will be on head and neck cancer, glioblastoma, lung, and pancreatic cancer - all of which currently have a poor prognosis - in which treatment with Modi-3, a product generated from Scancell's Moditope® platform will be assessed alongside vaccines targeting new mutations within individual patients' tumours.''

Prof LG Durrant, University of Nottingham. Scancell Ltd., Nottingham
Prof Sahin, TRON, Mainz BioNTech, Mainz
Prof Melief, University of Leiden, ISA pharmaceuticals, Leiden
Prof Mellman, Genentech, South San Francisco
Prof Cerundulo, University of Oxford
Prof Balachandran, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
Prof de Vries, Radboud University, Nijmegen
Prof Platten, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg
University Hospital Mannheim Heidelberg University
Prof Rammensee, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen
Dr Benham, University of Durham
Prof Ottensmeier, University of Southampton
Prof Jaeger, National Center for Tumor Diseases University Medical Center Heidelberg
German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg
Prof Pandurangan, La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology
Prof Mehanna, University of Birmingham

[Roger]

More good news for Scancell - the Moditope platform is to be granted Patent in a major land grab of their Intellectual Property . . .

''Scancell Holdings plc, ('Scancell' or the 'Company') the developer of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, notes that European Patent Office has announced its intention to grant Scancell's application for a European patent for its Moditope® immunotherapy platform.

This case is key to the protection of the Company's pipeline of Moditope® vaccines for the treatment of cancer and will provide commercial exclusivity in all major European territories including: Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and Turkey.  Counterparts to this patent have been filed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, South Africa and the US.

Cliff Holloway, Chief Executive Officer of Scancell, commented:
"By confirming its intention to grant this patent application, the European Patent Office has continued to uphold the validity of Scancell's expanding patent estate.  This is a key case for the Company as we progress development of our Moditope® platform and provides further protection for Scancell's innovative cancer vaccine technologies."