TSX Venture: QPT
EDMONTON, May 9, 2017 /CNW/ - Quest PharmaTech Inc.
(TSX-V: QPT) ("Quest" or the "Company"), today
announces that its subsidiary, OncoQuest Inc. ("OncoQuest"), a
biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and
commercialization of immunotherapeutic products for the treatment
of cancer, has completed the enrollment of the first patient in a
Phase 1/2 clinical study to evaluate the use of oregovomab in
combination with Nivolumab, an anti-PD1 human monoclonal antibody
which works as a checkpoint inhibitor in ovarian cancer patients in
the recurrent setting. This clinical trial is being conducted
at the National Cancer Centre in Singapore ("NCCS"), with Dr. Tira Tan as Principal Investigator, Adjunct
Associate Professor John Chia from
Oncocare Cancer Centre as the Study Chair, and Dr. Jack Chan as the co-chair.
"We are extremely excited about launching this study," noted Dr.
John Chia. "Ovarian cancer is a
lethal disease, and this trial may offer new hope for our patients.
Early clinical data suggests that oregovomab may improve the immune
system's processing of cancer antigens, and enhance the immune
ability to recognize these cancer targets. We believe that the
combination of oregovomab and Nivolumab, which amplifies such
immune activity, will have a synergistic effect to elicit a higher
quality tumor immune response, and hence improve control of the
cancer." This will be the first clinical trial testing the
combination of oregovomab with a checkpoint inhibitor as potential
treatment of ovarian cancer in the recurrent setting.
"We continue to explore the potential of oregovomab in various
stages of the progression of ovarian cancer," said Dr. Madiyalakan,
CEO of Quest and OncoQuest. In frontline ovarian cancer, OncoQuest
has recently announced positive interim results from its randomized
controlled multi-center Phase 2 clinical trial with oregovomab as
an indirect immunizer, in scheduled combination with carboplatin
and paclitaxel. "In the recurrent setting, we are exploring the use
of oregovomab with immune adjuvants in two clinical trials. The
trial NCCS is conducting is in combination with a checkpoint
inhibitor. We are also in the process of initiating a trial in U.S.
in combination with a TLR3 agonist, Hiltonol®," continued Dr.
Madiyalakan.
About Oregovomab
Oregovomab is OncoQuest's high
affinity monoclonal antibody (Mab B43.13) that is designed to bind
to the tumor associated antigen CA125 (also designated MUC16) and
initiate a cascade of immune responses against this
glycoprotein. CA125 is expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer
on the tumor surface but it is also shed into the
circulation. OncoQuest believes that carboplatin paclitaxel
based chemotherapy used in front line treatment in precisely
scheduled combination with oregovomab can improve outcomes relative
to chemotherapy alone and is currently exploring the role of select
immune adjuvants and checkpoint inhibition to assess oregovomab's
application in advanced disease settings. The Company plans to
initiate Phase 3 development of this product in an optimal
combination with commercial grade antibody product when the current
combinatorial Phase 2 program is completed.
About Quest PharmaTech Inc.
Quest PharmaTech is a
publicly traded, Canadian based pharmaceutical company developing
products to improve the quality of life. The Company through its
subsidiary, OncoQuest is developing antibody based
immunotherapeutic products for cancer (www.oncoquestinc.com) . In
addition, the Company owns the Photodynamic Therapy technology for
oncology and dermatology applications, licensed to BioCeltran Co.,
Ltd., a Korea based company (Bioceltran). Quest has an
ownership interest in Bioceltran which is focused on SP Technology™
for transdermal delivery of drugs and photosensitizers for
pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes. Quest also markets consumer
health products worldwide, including Bellus Skin™ serum, a premium
anti-wrinkle skin care product licensed from Korea. Quest is also
developing an antibody licensed from University of Nebraska, Mab AR 9.6 against
truncated O-glycan on MUC16, for targeted cancer therapy
applications.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Quest PharmaTech Inc.