Company receives second Innovate UK Smart Grant
Collaboration with King’s College London
London, 21 October 2020 – Epsilogen Ltd, a global leader in the development of novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, today announced the award of a £1 million Smart Grant from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. Epsilogen will collaborate with King’s College London and use the Smart Grant in a project to further develop the company’s novel cancer immunotherapeutic, EPS 201.
The project directly follows and is founded upon the outputs from Epsilogen’s previous Biomedical Catalyst Primer grant, which sought to move the Company’s EPS 201 programme closer to the clinic. EPS 201 is a novel IgE-based therapeutic targeting HER2 positive (HER2+ve) solid tumours, harnessing the potent IgE-mediated immune response already showing promise clinically with Epsilogen’s lead drug MOv18-IgE.
EPS201 could address a large unmet need in breast cancer patients with HER2+ve cancers that fail to meet the HER2 expression level needed for Herceptin treatment. Currently, these patients have a five-year survival of less than 70%, which is much lower than that for HER2 negative patients.
Epsilogen’s share of the grant is £0.7m, with the remaining £0.3m being used by King’s to fund the research scientist and laboratory team working on the project.
Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Epsilogen, commented: “We are proud to have been awarded another grant from Innovate UK for our pioneering work developing IgE-based therapeutics. It is a recognition of our progress to date and the potential that our therapies have in treating patients with cancer. We are looking forward to continuing our very successful collaboration with King’s College London and Professor Karagiannis, whose ground-breaking work is the foundation of the company we are today.”
Dr Sophia Karagiannis, Professor of Translational Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy from King’s College London, commented: “IgE therapies have a clear differentiation from IgG-based therapies, given their completely unique anti-cancer mode of action. Furthermore, EPS 201 has potential to address a large unmet need in breast cancer patients with HER2 positive cancers, making it an ideal candidate for further funding and investigation.”
About Epsilogen Ltd
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.
Epsilogen’s lead product candidate, MOv18 IgE, is the first therapeutic IgE antibody to enter clinical trials and is currently in a phase I study in cancer patients with advanced solid tumours, principally ovarian. Encouraging Interim data from this trial was presented at the AACR Virtual Annual Meeting in April, with results supporting for the first time, the safety and potential efficacy of an IgE antibody as a treatment for advanced cancer.
The company has raised Series A finance from Epidarex Capital, ALSA Ventures 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*).
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency. It works with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy. For further information visit www.innovateuk.gov.uk
For more information please contact:
Communications advisor to Epsilogen Ltd:
Simon Conway
Senior Managing Director
FTI Consulting simon.conway@fticonsulting.com
Company receives grant from Innovate UK Smart Grant
London, 20 July 2020 – Epsilogen Ltd, a global leader in the development of novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, today announced the award of a £0.5 million grant from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. Epsilogen will use the Smart Grant to further develop its proprietary novel IGEGTM platform and generate new therapeutic candidates to treat ovarian cancer.
IGEGTM antibodies combine key structural elements of both IgE and IgG antibodies into a novel and proprietary antibody structure. Uniquely, an IGEGTM antibody molecule is able to bind to both IgE receptors and IgG receptors thereby retaining the enhanced immunological potency of IgE but gaining additional functionality from the IgG molecule such as binding Natural Killer cells.
Epsilogen’s lead product candidate, MOv18 IgE, is the first therapeutic IgE antibody to enter clinical trials and is currently in a phase I study in cancer patients with advanced solid tumours, principally ovarian. Encouraging Interim data from this trial was recently presented at the AACR Virtual Annual Meeting in April, with results supporting for the first time, the safety and potential efficacy of an IgE antibody as a treatment for advanced cancer.
Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Epsilogen, commented: “Epsilogen is a pioneer in the use of IgE antibodies and engineered IgE derivatives to treat cancer. We are very pleased to have been awarded our third grant from Innovate UK. Our goal is to harness the potency of the IgE-mediated immune response and thereby provide patients with new safe and effective treatment options for these serious diseases”.
About Epsilogen Ltd
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 Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency. It works with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy. For further information visit www.innovateuk.gov.uk
For more information please contact:
Communications advisor to Epsilogen Ltd:
Simon Conway
Senior Managing Director
FTI Consulting simon.conway@fticonsulting.com
Lead therapeutic candidate MOv18 IgE is the world’s first IgE drug to enter clinical trials.
Epsilogen, a global leader in the development of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, hosted a Key Opinion Leader (KOL) webinar for the investment community on its IgE platform on Monday, June 29, 2020 at 11am ET (4pm BST).
Lead therapeutic candidate MOv18 IgE is the world’s first IgE drug to enter clinical trials
Live webinar and conference call on Monday June 29th @ 11am ET / 4pm BST
London, June 23, 2020 – Epsilogen, a global leader in the development of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, announced today that it will host a Key Opinion Leader (KOL) webinar for the investment community on its IgE platform on Monday, June 29, 2020 at 11am ET (4pm BST).
Epsilogen’s lead product candidate, MOv18 IgE, is in a Phase I clinical trial in folate receptor alpha positive cancer patients. This is the world’s first IgE drug to enter clinical trials. Interim data show that MOv18 IgE has an acceptable safety profile and a preliminary efficacy signal was also seen. Epsilogen has also developed the IGEG™ platform of hybrid IgE/IgG antibodies which combine the functionality of IgE and IgG antibodies into a single molecule.
The webinar will feature presentations by KOLs Bristi Basu, MD, University of Cambridge, and James Spicer, MD, King’s College London, who have together played a key role in advancing development of MOv18 IgE. Dr. Basu’s presentation will include highlights of the interim data from the ongoing Phase 1 clinical study of MOv18 IgE in ovarian cancer that were presented at the recent AACR Virtual Annual Meeting I.
The Epsilogen management team, led by Tim Wilson PhD, will discuss the company’s proprietary IgE technology platforms and will outline plans to further develop MOv18 IgE and other therapeutic candidates.
Drs. Basu and Spicer, as well as members of the Epsilogen management team, will be available for questions are the conclusion of the call.
Dial in & Webcast Information
Domestic: 877-705-6003
International: 201-493-6725
Conference ID: 13705401
Webcast: Click Here for Webcast
Bristi Basu, MD is a Cancer Research UK Consultant Medical Oncologist in Experimental Cancer Therapeutics at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (UK). She trained in Medicine at Oxford University before undertaking clinical specialty training in Medical Oncology at Cambridge. During this time, she completed a PhD in cancer cell biology and drug discovery at the University of Cambridge. She has worked with experimental cancer therapy agents in several early phase trials both at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge and at the Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital, Surrey.
James Spicer, MD is the Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine, King’s College London, and Consultant in Medical Oncology, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals London, UK. Dr Spicer is Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine at King’s College London, and Consultant in Medical Oncology at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals. He runs the King’s Health Partners Cancer Early Phase Trials program. He is joint lead of the King’s Experimental Cancer Medicine Center, funded by Cancer Research UK/National Institute for Health Research. Dr Spicer’s interests include the care of patients with thoracic malignancies, including lung cancer and mesothelioma, and clinical trials in these diseases. His translational research focus is on novel treatment including immunotherapies. He is a member of CRUK’s New Agents Committee and other UK national funding panels.
About Epsilogen Ltd
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 Ventures and the UCL Technology Fund.
MOv18 IgE is the first therapeutic IgE antibody to enter clinical trials
Results support, for the first time, the safety and potential efficacy of an IgE antibody as a treatment for advanced cancer
London, 27 April 2020 – Epsilogen (formerly IGEM Therapeutics), a global leader in the development of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, today announces that encouraging interim data from the ongoing phase 1 clinical study of MOv18 IgE was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Annual Meeting I. Epsilogen recently in-licensed exclusive global rights to MOv18 IgE from Kings College London (KCL), UK.
Lead investigator, Professor James Spicer of KCL, presented results from the study, which is being funded, sponsored and conducted by Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development. The trial is evaluating MOv18 IgE, a first-in-class IgE antibody, specific for anti-folate receptor alpha (FR alpha), in patients with advanced cancer. The primary objectives of the study are safety and tolerability of the study drug, which is administered by intravenous (IV) infusion. Secondary objectives include anti-tumour activity, as measured by computed tomography (CT) scans and tumour markers.
Results were presented on the first 24 patients enrolled in the study. Most of these patients had ovarian cancer, the most common cancer in which FR alpha is overexpressed. MOv18 IgE, at the doses administered, was found to be well tolerated in almost all patients, with urticaria1 being the most frequently observed adverse event. Importantly, given the role of IgE in mediating allergic reactions, only one patient exhibited any symptoms of anaphylaxis (500 μg dose). The episode was quickly resolved using standard management. This patient was the only one out of the 24 treated to date with a positive baseline basophil2 activation test (BAT). BAT is a flow cytometry-based in vitro assay, in which expression of activation markers is measured on the surface of basophils in whole patient blood following stimulation with IgE antibody. A positive baseline BAT assay has been used as an exclusion criterion for patients enrolled subsequent to the single anaphylaxis event. The investigators believe that the BAT could be employed as a risk mitigator for anaphylaxis in further studies with the drug.
The phase 1 study was not designed to assess efficacy as the primary endpoint. However, the investigators believe that there was a transient signal of anti-tumour activity in CT scans and in a temporary CA125 biomarker decrease for one patient with ovarian cancer, where their ascites3 were also reduced.
Professor James Spicer, of KCL and lead investigator of the phase 1 study said: “This phase 1 study, evaluating MOv18 IgE in advanced cancer patients, is the first time in which an IgE antibody has been tested in humans as a potential therapeutic. I believe that the encouraging data generated in this trial support the safety and potential efficacy of IgE as new class of antibody treatment for cancer.”
Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Epsilogen commented: “This data, presented at the prestigious AACR conference, builds on compelling preclinical data and provides the strongest suggestion to date that IgE antibodies can viably form the basis of an efficacious new class of biologic. We believe that IgE antibody therapeutics potentially offer significant advantages over those based on IgG, which currently account for over $120bn in worldwide drug sales – especially in the treatment of solid tumours. These include greater potency, better tumour access and longer tissue half-life.
“Following Epsilogen’s recent in-licensing of MOv18 IgE, the Company look forward to progressing the further clinical development of this promising new treatment for ovarian cancer.
The presentation abstract can be found here
The slides presentation by Prof Spicer are available here
Outline of the Phase 1 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 on their tumour was detected in a previous biopsy. Eligible patients must also have adequate organ function and no history of severe allergy. Additionally, patients must not require concomitant medication, or have comorbidities, that increase the risk of anaphylaxis. Patients are being administered their allocated dose of MOv18 IgE by IV infusion. Per protocol, following baseline assessment, patients initially receive drug once weekly for six weeks. Following an interim CT assessment, patients may then go on to receive three additional maintenance drug dose, every two weeks. The primary objectives of the study are safety and tolerability of the study drug. Secondary objectives are anti-tumour activity, as measured by CT scanning and/or tumour markers. To date, patients have been assigned to six different dose cohorts ranging from 70μg to 3mg.
1 – hives
2 – a type of white blood cell
3 – a build up of fluid in the lining of the abdomen and a common issue in patients with advanced ovarian cancer
END
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 Ventures and the UCL Technology Fund.
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*).
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.
For further information about Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
For more information please contact:
Tim Wilson
Chief Executive Officer
Epsilogen Ltd tim@epsilogen.com
+44 (0)20 3657 7612
Communications advisor to Epsilogen:
Simon Conway
FTI Consulting epsilogen@fticonsulting.com
+44 (0)20 3727 1000
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.
Authors:
James Spicer, Bristi Basu, Ana Montes, Udai Banerji, Rebecca Kristeleit, Gareth J Veal, Christopher Corrigan, Stephen Till, George Nintos, Tim Brier, Ionut G Funingana, Joo Ern Ang, Kam Zaki, Annie Griffin1, Claire Barton, Paul Jones, Sarah Mellor, Susan Brook, Katie Stoddart, Christopher Selkirk,Simon Carroll, Heike Lentfer, Natalie Woodman, Amy Pope, Giulia Pellizzari, Mano Nakamura, KristinaM Ilieva, Atousa Khiabany, Chara Stavraka, Hannah Gould, Jitesh Chauhan, Heather J Bax, Sarah Pinder, Debra H Josephs & Sophia N Karagiannis
Title: Phase 1 trial of MOv18 IgE, a first-in-class IgE antibody therapy for cancer Day/Date: 27 April 2020 Time: 9:00am to 6:00pm Session: Phase I Clinical Trials Session Type: Poster Session (with brief video presentation)
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.
END
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*).
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.
For further information about Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
For more information please contact:
Tim Wilson
Chief Executive Officer
Epsilogen Ltd tim@epsilogen.com
+44 (0)20 3657 7612
Communications advisor to Epsilogen:
Simon Conway
FTI Consulting epsilogen@fticonsulting.com
+44 (0)20 3727 1000
MOv18 IgE is currently in phase 1 clinical trial in cancer patients with advanced solid tumours
Folate receptor alpha most commonly overexpressed on tumour cells in ovarian cancer
Investors commit to a further £3 million Series A2 financing of Company
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 it has in-licenced exclusive global rights to MOv18 IgE, an anti-folate receptor alpha IgE antibody from King’s College London (KCL). Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
The antibody, which was developed at KCL in collaboration with Cancer Research UK, is the first therapeutic IgE antibody to enter clinical trials. Cancer Research UK is funding, sponsoring and conducting an on-going phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced cancer expressing folate receptor alpha (FR alpha). As separately announced today, interim data from this trial will be presented at the forthcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Annual Meeting I which begins on 27 April 2020. Folate receptor alpha (FR alpha) is selectively expressed most commonly on the surface of ovarian cancer cells, making it a promising target for IgE antibody therapy for this cancer which has relatively few effective treatment alternatives.
Epsilogen will continue the further clinical development of MOv18 IgE and has put in place a comprehensive manufacturing programme with a leading contract development and manufacturing organisation. Funding for this manufacturing work has been provided by a further £3 million Series A2 investment from Epsilogen’s existing investors Epidarex Capital, ALSA Holdings and the UCL Technology Fund.
Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Epsilogen, said:
“We are very pleased to have in-licensed this promising new therapy which has the potential to target a very serious cancer with relatively few effective treatment alternatives. We are grateful to our scientific founders Professors Sophia Karagiannis and James Spicer of KCL for conducting the early scientific research on MOv18 IgE and also to Cancer Research UK for investing in and developing the product through its early clinical phase. We also wish to thank our investor group for continuing to support us with further financing via the Series A2.”
ENDS
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*).
Cambridge Antibody Technology co-founder and CEO, Dr Chiswell brings 30 years of biotechnology experience to IGEM Therapeutics’s Board
London, 9 April 2019 – IGEM Therapeutics (IGEM), an immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, announces that Dr David Chiswell will be joining IGEM Therapeutics as a Non-Executive Chairman effective immediately. Dr Chiswell brings more than 30 years’ experience in the biotechnology industry to IGEM Therapeutics’s Board.
Dr Chiswell co-founded Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) in 1990 where he served as CEO for six years. During his tenure he oversaw the company’s float on both the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq in April 1997 and June 2001, respectively. Most recently Dr Chiswell was Chairman, then CEO of Kymab Ltd from 2015 to 2018. He is a past chairman of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) and his contributions to the field were recognised in 2006 when he was awarded an OBE for services to the biotechnology industry.
IGEM Therapeutics’s current Chairman, Peter Finan of Epidarex Capital, will remain on the board as a Non-Executive Director after Dr Chiswell joins.
Commenting on the appointment, Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of IGEM Therapeutics, said:
“We are thrilled to have Dr Chiswell joining our Board of Directors. His in-depth knowledge of therapeutic antibody discovery and development as well as his extensive experience leading the growth of early-stage biotechnology companies will make him an invaluable member of our team. I look forward to working with him and the rest of our Board. Additionally, I would like to thank Peter for Chairing the company with distinction over the past two years.”
Dr Chiswell, added:
“I am delighted to be joining IGEM Therapeutics as Non-Executive Chairman. IGEM Therapeutics’s management team has a strong vision for the future and I look forward to working with them to evolve it further as they develop their exciting pipeline of immunoglobulin E antibodies to address a number of significantly unmet areas in oncology.”
About IGEM Therapeutics
IGEM Therapeutics is a UK immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer. Unlike immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgE has evolved to kill tissue-dwelling multicellular parasites endowing it with several key features that make it ideal for the treatment of solid tumours.
IGEM Therapeutics is a spin out of King’s College London and has an ongoing collaboration with Dr Sophia Karagiannis, a global leader in the understanding of IgE antibodies. The company has raised Series A finance from Epidarex Capital, ALSA Holdings and the UCL Technology Fund.
For more information please contact:
Tim Wilson
Chief Executive Officer
IGEM Therapeutics
tim@igemtherapeutics.com
+44 (0)20 3078 9675
Communications advisor to IGEM Therapeutics:
Simon Conway
FTI Consulting
igemtherapeutics@fticonsulting.com
+44 (0)20 3727 1000
Company receives grant from Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst Primer Award
London, 2 April 2019 – IGEM Therapeutics (IGEM), an immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, today announced the award of a £0.75 million grant from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. IGEM Therapeutics will use the Biomedical Catalyst Primer Award to develop novel IgE antibodies targeting HER2, a commercially-validated cancer antigen expressed on a variety of tumour types including breast, ovarian and gastric cancer.
Currently marketed anti-HER2 IgG antibodies are only able to treat patients with cancers expressing high levels of HER2 antigen. The majority of HER2 positive patients have cancers expressing intermediate or low levels of HER2 and cannot be treated with anti-HER2 IgG antibodies. To address this substantial unmet medical need, IGEM Therapeutics is developing novel, human IgE antibodies that bind to HER2.
The epsilon constant region of IgE has evolved to fight complex, multicellular parasitic organisms resident in tissue by recruiting powerful immune effector cells such as macrophages, basophils and monocytes. IGEM Therapeutics believes that potent immune responses arising from IgE are suited to the destruction of solid tumours which also reside in tissue. Pre-clinical studies in the laboratory of IGEM Therapeutics Founder Dr Sophia Karagiannis at King’s College London have demonstrated superior efficacy with a number of IgE antibodies when compared to their IgG equivalents. IGEM Therapeutics is also developing anti-cancer IgE antibodies targeting folate receptor alpha and CSPG-4.
Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of IGEM Therapeutics, commented: “IGEM Therapeutics is a pioneer in the use of IgE antibodies to treat cancer. We are very pleased to have been awarded our second grant from Innovate UK. Our goal is to harness the potency of the IgE-mediated immune response and thereby provide patients with new safe and effective treatment options for these serious diseases”.
About IGEM Therapeutics
IGEM Therapeutics is a UK immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer. Unlike immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgE has evolved to kill tissue-dwelling multicellular parasites endowing it with several key features that make it ideal for the treatment of solid tumours.
IGEM Therapeutics is a spin out of King’s College London and has an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Sophia Karagiannis, a global leader in the understanding of IgE antibodies. The company has raised Series A finance from Epidarex Capital, ALSA Holdings and the UCL Technology Fund.
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency. It works with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy. For further information visit www.innovateuk.gov.uk
For more information please contact: Tim Wilson
Chief Executive Officer
IGEM Therapeutics
tim@igemtherapeutics.com
+44 (0)20 3078 9675
Communications advisor to IGEM Therapeutics:
Simon Conway
Senior Managing Director
FTI Consulting
simon.conway@fticonsulting.com
+44 (0)20 3727 1000
New investors Alsa Holdings and UCL Technology Fund join Epidarex Capital
Proceeds will allow IGEM Therapeutics to continue development of IgE therapeutic antibody portfolio and novel IgE-based platform technology
London, November 30th, 2018 – IGEM Therapeutics (IGEM Therapeutics or “the Company”), an immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, announced it has secured an additional £3 million to close its Series A round at £5 million. Two new investors, Alsa Holdings and UCL Technology Fund (co-managed by Albion Capital and UCLB, UCL’s commercialisation company) have joined initial investor Epidarex Capital who also committed further capital in this second close.
The funding will enable IGEM Therapeutics to further develop its portfolio of IgE antibody candidates against a variety of cancers. The epsilon constant region of IgE has evolved to fight complex, multicellular parasitic organisms resident in tissue by recruiting powerful immune effector cells such as macrophages, basophils and monocytes. IGEM Therapeutics believes that potent immune responses arising from IgE are suited to the destruction of solid tumours which also reside in tissue. Pre-clinical proof of concept data repeatedly shows superior efficacy for IgE versus cognate IgG antibodies in a range of cancer models.
Alek Safarian, Chief Executive Officer of Alsa Holdings, commented: “We are excited by the promise that IGEM Therapeutics’s technology holds for major therapeutic advances in a host of oncology indications, and are looking forward to working with the management team to help bring new options to oncology patients in the future.”
Dr Christoph Ruedig, Partner at Albion Capital commented: “The UCL Technology Fund strives to back innovative early stage companies that are seeking to translate ground-breaking research into commercial and societal impact. The pioneering work of Dr Sophia Karagiannis and her collaborators, which includes significant clinical development by clinical academics from UCL, highlight the profound potential of IgE antibody technology in cancer therapeutics. We are delighted to invest alongside Epidarex and Alsa and look forward to working with IGEM Therapeutics’s accomplished executive team.”
Dr Peter Finan, Partner at Epidarex Capital, commented: “IGEM Therapeutics continues to make great progress on this disruptive platform. We look forward to working closely with Alsa and Albion to maximise IGEM Therapeutics’s potential”
Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of IGEM Therapeutics, commented: “This new financing will allow IGEM Therapeutics to continue to pioneer the development of IgE therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of cancer. We are very pleased to have attracted new investors of the calibre of Alsa Holdings and UCL Technology/Albion to IGEM Therapeutics as well as receiving further investment from initial investor Epidarex Capital.”
About IGEM Therapeutics
IGEM Therapeutics is a UK immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer. Unlike immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgE has evolved to kill tissue-dwelling multicellular parasites endowing it with several key features that make it ideal for the treatment of solid tumours.
Pre-clinical proof of concept has been obtained with two different IgE antibodies both showing significantly greater efficacy versus IgG comparators. IGEM Therapeutics is a spin out of King’s College London and has an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Sophia Karagiannis, a global leader in the field of IgE antibodies.
About Alsa Holdings
ALSA Holdings is a Europe based biotechnology investment firm with a focus on novel therapeutics at preclinical POC or early clinical development stage. The firm is managed by the founder and ex-CEO of Novotech, a leading midsize clinical CRO. The firm have considerable expertise and experience in clinical development and are an active investor. They have no geographic or therapeutic area constraints, and are equally open to seeding new companies, as investing in later syndicated rounds, or as a sole investor.
About UCL Technology Fund
The UCL Technology Fund is dedicated to investing in intellectual property commercialisation opportunities arising from UCL’s world-class research base, focusing in particular on the physical and life sciences. The Fund supports UCL in achieving the full potential of innovations that have prospects for outstanding societal and market impact, right through the development journey from initial proof of concept to practical commercial application.
The Fund is co-managed by Albion Capital, one of the largest independent venture capital investors in the UK in collaboration with UCLB, UCL’s commercialisation company, building on their 15-year relationship.
About Albion Capital Group LLP
Albion Capital is a leading independent investment manager with a long-term record of partnering ambitious business. The Albion Group has funds of over £1 billion under investment management or administration and has increasingly focussed on technology, specifically software and tech enabled services. Albion Capital Group LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
About UCLB
UCL Business PLC (UCLB), part of UCL Innovation & Enterprise, is a leading technology commercialisation company that supports research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK’s top research-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. UCLB has a strong track record in commercialising medical technologies and provides technology transfer services to UCL’s associated hospitals; University College London Hospitals, Moorfields Eye Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the Royal Free London Hospital. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from laboratory to market.
About Epidarex Capital
Epidarex Capital invests in early-stage, high growth life science and health technology companies primarily in the United Kingdom and United States. Epidarex was created to meet the need for more sector-specific risk capital for young companies, including spin-outs from leading research universities in up-and-coming life science hubs. The fund’s international management team has a track record of successfully partnering with top scientists and entrepreneurs to develop highly innovative products for the global healthcare market.
For more information please contact:
Tim Wilson
Chief Executive Officer
IGEM Therapeutics
tim@igemtherapeutics.com
+44 (0)20 3078 9675
Communications advisor to IGEM Therapeutics:
Simon Conway
Senior Managing Director
FTI Consulting
simon.conway@fticonsulting.com
+44 (0)20 3727 1000