***PKTX..PKTX PR News Release..
The Effects of ProtoKinetix’ Anti-Aging Glycopeptide (AAGP™) on Immune Cell Banking and Functions Relevant to Immunotherapy
November 16, 2017
ProtoKinetix, Incorporated (www.protokinetix.com) (the "Company" or "ProtoKinetix"
(OTCQB
KTX) is pleased to provide a scientific update on immune cell banking and functions relevant to immunotherapy using AAGP™ in collaboration with Proactive Immune Sciences. Earlier in 2017, Proactive initiated a research program which utilized an anti-aging glycopeptide (AAGP™) produced by ProtoKinetix Inc. which, amongst other uses, has shown the potential to benefit various cells during cryopreservation. In this research program, Proactive is investigating whether the AAGP™ produced by ProtoKinetix Inc. improves survival and function of cryopreserved immune cells by focusing on the following objective:
1) Assessment of the effect of AAGP™ on cryopreserved immune cell viability and functionality.
Immune based interventions represent one of the fastest growing, most promising areas of personalized medicine. This is particularly true for cancer, which is largely a disease of immune failure. Therefore, there is a strong impetus for individuals to bank healthy immune cells at as early an age as possible, before these cells are compromised by infection, malignancy, or simply advanced immunological age. Proactive Immune Sciences Corporation will collect and cryopreserve all of the different types of immune cells present in blood for its clients. These cells can be used later for any form of immunotherapy the client might require. These cells can also be used for immune system regeneration to help restore an immune system that is compromised from chemotherapy or radiation treatments or even old age. Although cryopreservation of cells is commonly performed, Proactive would like to offer its clients the most advanced methods to ensure their cells are in optimal conditions for the processing required for these immunotherapies.
In May 2017, Proactive, with the support of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) through an Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) Grant, began testing AAGP™ in the cryopreservation process used to store Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC). Cells were frozen using Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” along with various concentrations of AAGP™.
A combination of Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” and AAGP™ resulted in a 45% increase in viability of PBMCs over that of Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” alone. When T and B cells were isolated from the frozen PBMCs post-thaw, both cell types displayed greater viability as well. These positive results were repeated with JURKAT cells, a T cell line used for research.
These findings have significance for immune cell based therapies. A 45% increase in the viability of PBMCs through the freezing process will result is significantly more cells being available should they be needed later for immune system reconstitution, requiring far less blood to be drawn. For patients, whose immune systems have been compromised from chemotherapy and/or radiation therapies, it could mean that they would now be able to participate in immune based therapies for which they previously could not provide enough viable cells.
Improved viability of T and B cells in the presence of Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” and AAGP™ may provide a better starting material for the processing involved in several cellular therapies in development or recent approval such as CAR-T therapy for cancer.
The next phase of our research will explore the impact of Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” and AAGP™ on functions of the immune cells pertinent to these developing cellular therapies.
About Proactive Immune Sciences
Proactive stores (banks) immune cells, while people are healthy, for them to use later in life should they contract cancer or have other immune system related diseases.
Having the rights to AAGP™ for immune cell cryopreservation enables Proactive to establish a unique foothold in the cell banking market and to provide services to other organizations that use frozen immune cells in their therapeutic processes.
The Effects of ProtoKinetix’ Anti-Aging Glycopeptide (AAGP™) on Immune Cell Banking and Functions Relevant to Immunotherapy
November 16, 2017
ProtoKinetix, Incorporated (www.protokinetix.com) (the "Company" or "ProtoKinetix"
(OTCQBKTX) is pleased to provide a scientific update on immune cell banking and functions relevant to immunotherapy using AAGP™ in collaboration with Proactive Immune Sciences. Earlier in 2017, Proactive initiated a research program which utilized an anti-aging glycopeptide (AAGP™) produced by ProtoKinetix Inc. which, amongst other uses, has shown the potential to benefit various cells during cryopreservation. In this research program, Proactive is investigating whether the AAGP™ produced by ProtoKinetix Inc. improves survival and function of cryopreserved immune cells by focusing on the following objective: 1) Assessment of the effect of AAGP™ on cryopreserved immune cell viability and functionality.
Immune based interventions represent one of the fastest growing, most promising areas of personalized medicine. This is particularly true for cancer, which is largely a disease of immune failure. Therefore, there is a strong impetus for individuals to bank healthy immune cells at as early an age as possible, before these cells are compromised by infection, malignancy, or simply advanced immunological age. Proactive Immune Sciences Corporation will collect and cryopreserve all of the different types of immune cells present in blood for its clients. These cells can be used later for any form of immunotherapy the client might require. These cells can also be used for immune system regeneration to help restore an immune system that is compromised from chemotherapy or radiation treatments or even old age. Although cryopreservation of cells is commonly performed, Proactive would like to offer its clients the most advanced methods to ensure their cells are in optimal conditions for the processing required for these immunotherapies.
In May 2017, Proactive, with the support of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) through an Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) Grant, began testing AAGP™ in the cryopreservation process used to store Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC). Cells were frozen using Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” along with various concentrations of AAGP™.
A combination of Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” and AAGP™ resulted in a 45% increase in viability of PBMCs over that of Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” alone. When T and B cells were isolated from the frozen PBMCs post-thaw, both cell types displayed greater viability as well. These positive results were repeated with JURKAT cells, a T cell line used for research.
These findings have significance for immune cell based therapies. A 45% increase in the viability of PBMCs through the freezing process will result is significantly more cells being available should they be needed later for immune system reconstitution, requiring far less blood to be drawn. For patients, whose immune systems have been compromised from chemotherapy and/or radiation therapies, it could mean that they would now be able to participate in immune based therapies for which they previously could not provide enough viable cells.
Improved viability of T and B cells in the presence of Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” and AAGP™ may provide a better starting material for the processing involved in several cellular therapies in development or recent approval such as CAR-T therapy for cancer.
The next phase of our research will explore the impact of Proactive’s cryopreservation “cocktail” and AAGP™ on functions of the immune cells pertinent to these developing cellular therapies.
About Proactive Immune Sciences
Proactive stores (banks) immune cells, while people are healthy, for them to use later in life should they contract cancer or have other immune system related diseases.
Having the rights to AAGP™ for immune cell cryopreservation enables Proactive to establish a unique foothold in the cell banking market and to provide services to other organizations that use frozen immune cells in their therapeutic processes.
