ImmunoCellular Therapeutics
(IMUC.OB) is developing cellular
immunotherapies for the treatment of brain cancer and monoclonal antibodies to
diagnose and treat several different cancers. The Company is developing a stem
cell cancer vaccine (ICT-121) which targets a protein marker called CD133 which
is typically expressed only on cancer stem cells and not on normal cells.
Cancer stem cells ("CSC") are responsible for the prolific growth of primary
and metastatic tumors and these cells must be eliminated for the complete
eradication of a tumor. CSCs are resistant to standard treatments such as
chemotherapy and radiation, but numerous bio-markers on these cells have been
identified which could be used to target CSCs.
ETF Innovators Global Stem Cell and
Regenerative Medicine Index
IMUC uses peptides (the building blocks of proteins comprised of amino acid
chains) in combination with another compound called an adjuvant to elicit a
targeted immune response by T cells to destroy CSCs. This T cell response
targets CSCs with a specific bio-marker (CD133 positive CSCs) that have been
identified in a number of cancer types such as gliomas, colon cancer, and
pancreatic cancer.
The goal of the Company's cancer vaccine approach is to combine conventional
treatment(s) with a vaccine to target the remaining CSCs with the goal of
eliminating or significantly delaying the recurrence of tumors. Current
treatment brain cancer typically involves a combination of surgery, radiation
treatment, and chemotherapy. Such treatments often lead to tumor cell DNA
mutations or other changes leading to treatment-resistance and/or tumor
recurrence.
IMUC expects to file an IND with the FDA during 3Q09 (after conducting
additional preclinical studies specified by the agency) for permission to begin
a 15-20 patient Phase 1 human clinical trials of ICT-121 for glioblastoma, which
is a deadly type of brain cancer.