- MOv18 IgE is the first therapeutic IgE antibody to enter clinical trials
- Folate receptor alpha most commonly overexpressed on tumour cells in ovarian cancer
London, 20 April 2020 – Epsilogen (formerly IGEM Therapeutics), a global leader in the development of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, today announces that interim data from the ongoing phase 1 clinical study of MOv18 IgE will be presented at the forthcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Annual Meeting I, 27-28 April 2020. This study, funded, sponsored and conducted by Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development, is evaluating MOv18 IgE, a first-in-class IgE antibody, in patients with advanced cancer expressing folate receptor alpha (FR alpha). This receptor is known to be overexpressed on the surface of certain cancer cells, most commonly ovarian cancer. MOv18 IgE is the first therapeutic IgE antibody to enter clinical trials.
The presentation at the AACR meeting will be made by Professor James Spicer of King’s College London (KCL), UK, one of the scientific founders of Epsilogen and lead investigator of the phase 1 study. As announced separately today, Epsilogen has in-licensed MOv18 IgE from KCL, where it was originally developed in collaboration with Cancer Research UK.
The presentation abstract will be posted online at 12:01a.m. EDT on Monday April 27, 2020 (see https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9045/presentation/10640)
Outline of the phase 1 clinical study (NCT number: NCT02546921)
This multi-centre, dose escalation, phase 1 study, enrols patients with histologically, or cytologically-proven, advanced, unresectable solid tumours where FR alpha expression on their tumour was detected in a previous biopsy. Patients are administered their allocated dose of MOv18 IgE by IV infusion. The primary objective of the study is safety and tolerability of the study drug. Secondary objectives are anti-tumour activity, as measured by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) and assessment of disease response, using CA 125 tumour marker.
About Epsilogen Ltd (formerly IGEM Therapeutics)
Epsilogen is a global leader in the development of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer. IgE has several key features that make it ideal for the treatment of solid tumours including greater potency, enhanced tumour access and a long tissue half-life.
The company has raised Series A finance from Epidarex Capital, ALSA Holdings and the UCL Technology Fund.
About King’s College London
King’s College London is one of the top 10 UK universities in the world (QS World University Rankings, 2018/19) and among the oldest in England. King’s has more than 31,000 students (including more than 12,800 postgraduates) from some 150 countries worldwide, and some 8,500 staff.
King’s has an outstanding reputation for world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), eighty-four per cent of research at King’s was deemed ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (3* and 4*).
World-changing ideas. Life-changing impact: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/headlines.aspx
About Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development
Cancer Research UK has an impressive record of developing novel treatments for cancer. The Cancer Research UK Centre for Drug Development has been pioneering the development of new cancer treatments for more than 25 years, taking over 160 potential new anti-cancer agents into clinical trials in patients. It currently has a portfolio of around 20 new anti-cancer agents in preclinical development, Phase I or early Phase II clinical trials. Six of these new agents have made it to market including temozolomide for brain cancer, abiraterone for prostate cancer and rucaparib for ovarian cancer. Two other drugs are in late development Phase III trials.
About Cancer Research UK
- Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
- Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
- Cancer Research UK receives no funding from the UK government for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on vital donations from the public.
- Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years.
- Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.
- Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
- Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
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