Hoersholm, Denmark, July 19, 2017 - Oncology Venture AB (OV:ST) and Novartis Pharma AG (Basel, Switzerland) have entered into an agreement providing Oncology Venture with an option right to execute an exclusive license to develop and commercialize an undisclosed small molecule, kinase inhibitor in clinical development. The molecule has been explored in multiple therapeutic indications including a variety of solid tumors. Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Under the option agreement, OV will evaluate whether it can suitably develop and validate a companion diagnostic for the drug using its proprietary DRP(TM) biomarker platform.
" Oncology Venture is excited to explore the opportunity to enhance the development of the molecule. We are confident that by using our Drug Response Predictor (DRP TM ) to select patients we will raise the chances of success for the molecule in clinical development. A drug specific DRP biomarker could then be consequentially used as a predictive companion diagnostic to identify likely responders " said Peter Buhl Jensen, M.D., CEO of Oncology Venture and Medical Prognosis Institute.
In addition to 2X Oncology, of which Oncology Venture currently owns 92%, Oncology Venture has spun out Danish OV-SPV 2, which will test and potentially develop an in-licensed, oral phase 2 Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor.
For further information, please contact: CEO, Peter Buhl Jensen, Adjunct Professor, MD, Ph.D. Ulla Hald Buhl, IR & Communication E-mail: pbj@medical-prognosis.com E-mail: uhb@medical-prognosis.com Telephone: +45 21 60 89 22 Telephone +45 21 70 10 49
About the Drug Response Predictor (DRP ) Companion Diagnostic Developed by and in-licensed from Medical Prognosis Institute A/S (MPI.ST), the DRP(TM) screening platform utilizes messenger RNA (mRNA) gene expression signatures from patient biopsies to identify patients with a high likelihood of responding to specific cancer-fighting therapies. This DRP(TM) method builds on the comparison of sensitive vs. resistant human cancer cell lines, including genomic information from cell lines, combined with clinical tumor biology and clinical correlates in a systems biology network. Specific DRP(TM)s are developed for each pipeline product, which will enable Oncology Venture and its spin-out 2X Oncology to identify and predict which patients are most likely to respond and thereby benefit from a given pipeline product. This would enable likely responders to receive appropriate treatment while expediting the decision path for predicted non-responders, saving them critical time and money in their cancer fight.
About Oncology Venture AB Oncology Venture AB is engaged in the research and development of anti-cancer drugs through its wholly-owned Danish subsidiary Oncology Venture ApS. Oncology Venture has an exclusive license to use the Drug Response Predictor (DRP(TM)) platform in order to significantly increase the probability of success in clinical trials. The Company uses a model that alters the odds in comparison with traditional pharmaceutical development. Instead of treating all patients with a particular type of cancer, patients' tumors genes are screened first and only those who are most likely to respond to the treatment will be treated. Focusing on this defined patient group reduces risk and costs are reduced while increasing efficiencies in the development process. The current Oncology Venture product portfolio includes LiPlaCis for breast cancer in collaboration with Cadila Pharmaceuticals; Irofulven for prostate cancer; and APO010, an immuno-oncology product in development for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
About MPI's multiple biomarker called Drug Response Predictor - DRP(TM) MPI's DRP(TM) is a tool for developing tumor-derived genetic signatures to predict which cancer patients are high likely to respond to a given anti-cancer product. The DRP(TM) has been tested in 37 trials, where 29 trials showed that drug-specific DRP(TM) Biomarkers could predict which patients responded well to the treatment. The DRP(TM) platform has amongst others been externally validated and published in collaboration with leading statisticians at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The DRP(TM) method can be used to design the Clinical Development Plan, i.e. to select which indications are relevant for a given anti-cancer drug. In addition to this, the individual genetic patterns of patients can be analyzed as part of a screening procedure for a clinical trial to ensure inclusion of patients with a high likelihood of response to the drug. DRP(TM) builds on comparison between sensitive and resistant human cancer cell lines, including genomic information from cell lines combined with clinical tumor biology and clinical correlates in a systems biology network. The DRP(TM) is a Big Data tool based on messenger RNA. The DRP(TM) platform can be used in all cancer types, and has been patented for more than 70 anti-cancer drugs in the US.
About MPI Medical Prognosis Institute is a publicly traded international company specialized in improving cancer patients' lives by developing Personalized Medicine using its unique DRP(TM) technology. MPI's exceptional opportunity to personalize cancer treatment begins with Breast Cancer moving on to Multiple Myeloma and Prostate Cancer as the first steps. MPI's DRP(TM) tool has shown its ability to separate patients who benefit and who do not benefit from a specific cancer treatment. This has been shown in as many as 29 out of 37 trials, and covers more than 80 anti-cancer treatments in a wide range of cancer indications. MPI has built a significant large database with over 1,000 screened breast cancer patients and is building up a database in Multiple Myeloma to be followed by Prostate cancer in collaboration with oncologists and hematologists throughout Denmark. MPI has ownership of Oncology Venture (Publ) a spinout with three anti-cancer drugs in pipeline entered and of the privately hold Special Purpose Vehicles, 2X Oncology Inc. and OV-SPV2 Aps with four products in pipeline.
This information is information that Medical Prognosis Institute A/S is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on July 19, 2017.
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