MabVax Therapeutics Expands Intellectual Property Estate by Filing a New Patent Application on its Fully-Human Antibody Discoveries
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: MBVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a fully human antibody discovery platform focused on the development of antibody-based products to address unmet medical needs in the treatment of cancer, announced that the Company has filed a patent application for its series of HuMab-Tn fully-human monoclonal antibodies that target the tumor associated Thomsen-nouveau (Tn) antigen that will be developed as therapeutic and diagnostic products targeting ovarian, lung and breast cancers. The Tn target is a carbohydrate antigen significantly expressed on the surface of cancer cells as a result of the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells. The Tn target is present on a broad array of tumor types but not found on normal tissues. This patent represents another valuable antibody asset brought forward by MabVax and the third patent filed on the antibody portfolio created through the Company's unique discovery platform.
The patent application covers the recovery of anti-Tn antibodies from patients who were vaccinated against their solid tumors with a vaccine that contained the Tn antigen. The discovery of fully human antibodies directly from vaccinated cancer patients is highly unique and has advantages including a potential for greater specificity and reducing the toxicities associated with non-human antibodies. The patent application also covers the additional work done by the Company's antibody research and development team to optimize the recovered antibodies as well as detailing the resulting positive characteristics of the antibodies selected for patenting. The newly filed patent application, if issued by the U.S. Patent Office, will provide exclusivity for these antibodies until 2038.
"The filing of this patent is an important component of our broad strategy in expanding our robust patent estate. Importantly, this filing is timely as we look to select additional product candidates to fuel our pipeline that have the potential to address significant unmet therapeutic needs," stated David Hansen, MabVax's President and Chief Executive Officer.
The Company has demonstrated its ability to translate these discoveries through preclinical development and into clinical development with its HuMab-5B1 program, currently being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical trials as a therapeutic agent, an immunoPET diagnostic agent, and as a radioimmunotherapy ("RIT"). The Company envisions that the HuMab-Tn antibody portfolio has similar applicability, including as a bi-specific antibody, as an antibody conjugated with a payload to form an antibody drug conjugate ("ADC"), with a radionuclide as an immunoPET imaging agent or with a radionuclide as a RIT product.
About MabVax:
MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a fully human antibody discovery platform focused on the rapid translation into clinical development of products to address unmet medical needs in the treatment of cancer. Our antibody MVT-5873, is a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) that targets sialyl Lewis A (sLea), an epitope on CA19-9, and is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials as a therapeutic agent for patients with pancreatic cancer and other CA19-9 positive tumors. CA19-9 is expressed in over 90% of pancreatic cancers and in other diseases including small cell lung and GI cancers. CA19-9 plays an important role in tumor adhesion and metastasis, and is a marker of an aggressive cancer phenotype. CA19-9 serum levels are considered a valuable adjunct in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring of pancreatic cancer. With our collaborators including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Rockefeller University, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Honor Health and Imaging Endpoints, we have treated 50 patients with either our therapeutic antibody designated as MVT-5873 or our PET imaging diagnostic product designated as MVT-2163 in Phase 1 clinical studies, and demonstrated early safety, specificity for the target and a potential efficacy signal. Patient dosing has commenced for our lead development program in Phase 1 clinical study of the Company's radioimmunotherapy product MVT-1075. For additional information, please visit the Company's website, www.mabvax.com.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release on announcing the Company's filing of a patent application for its series of HuMab-Tn fully-human monoclonal antibodies contains "forward-looking statements" regarding matters that are not historical facts, including statements relating to the Company's clinical trials and product development pipeline. We have no assurance that all the product development pipeline will be fully developed by the Company. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "will," "potential," "hope" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations of the Company and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties. Detailed information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by statements in this press release relating to the Company may be found in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the factors described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, as amended and supplemented from time to time and the Company's Quarter Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings submitted by the Company to the SEC, copies of which may be obtained from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The parties do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
Investor Contact:
Jenene Thomas
Jenene Thomas Communications, LLC
Phone: +1 (908) 938-1475
Email: jtc@jenenethomascommunications.com
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SOURCE MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.
