Category: Press Releases

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)

 

Abstract ID: CT141

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*).

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.

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*).

World-changing ideas. Life-changing impact: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/headlines.aspx

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

 

 

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

London, 12 October 2018 – IGEM Therapeutics (IGEM), an immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, today announced that it has won the “Best Start-up Biotech Company” award at the OBN Awards 2018.

The award recognises IGEM Therapeutics as a UK registered start-up biotech company making a significant impact in the sector through news flow, successful fundraising and execution of a robust business plan. The ceremony on Thursday 11 October marked the 10^th anniversary of the OBN Awards, which celebrate success stories from the UK life sciences industry over the past year.

Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of IGEM Therapeutics, commented: “We are thrilled that IGEM Therapeutics Therapeutics has been awarded “Best Start-up Biotech Company” at this year’s prestigious OBN Awards. The award recognises our efforts to treat cancer by developing novel immunoglobin E antibodies and our significant progress as a company over the last year.”

 

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 with financing from Epidarex Capital and has an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Sophia Karagiannis, a global leader in the understanding of IgE antibodies.

For further information visit www.epsilogen.com

For more information please contact:

Tim Wilson

Chief Executive Officer

IGEM Therapeutics

tim@epsilogen.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

IGEM Therapeutics shortlisted as a finalist in the “Best Start-up Biotech Company” category of the 2018 OBN Awards 

London, 22 August 2018– IGEM Therapeutics (IGEM), an immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, today announced that it has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2018 OBN Awards in the “Best Start-up Biotech Company” category.

The “Best Start-up Biotech Company” award recognises a UK registered start-up biotech company that was incorporated on or after 1 June 2016, is making an impact on the industry via significant news flow, has successfully raised seed or Series A fundraising, is conducting early clinical trial activity and can demonstrate clear evidence of early stage implementation of a robust business plan.

2018 marks the 10th Anniversary of the OBN Awards, which recognise the leading lights of the life sciences industry in the UK. The winners will be announced at the OBN Awards evening on Thursday 11 October at the Examination Schools in Oxford.

Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of IGEM Therapeutics, commented: “We are delighted that IGEM Therapeutics has been shortlisted as a finalist in the “Best Start-up Biotech Company” category at the OBN Awards. To be considered for these prestigious awards is recognition of our efforts to develop novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies for the treatment of cancer.”

Emerging Company Profile: IGEM Therapeutics has been spun out of King’s College London to evaluate the use of IgE-based monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer, including difficult-to-reach solid tumors….

…..

See the article in full here: https://scrip.pharmaintelligence.informa.com/SC123214/IGEM-Therapeutics-Pursuing-Novel-IgE-Antibodies-For-Solid-Tumors

Not to be Sneezed At

One of the stand-out technologies discussed by London-based immuno-oncology start-up Epsilogen was in antibody therapeutics…..

See the article in full here:  https://www.genengnews.com/gen-exclusives/biotrinity-conference-focuses-on-nextgen-healthcare/77901102

£1.45 million grant from Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst Funds enable IGEM Therapeutics to progress second product candidate towards the clinic

London, 9 May 2018 – IGEM Therapeutics (IGEM), an immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, today announced the award of a £1.45 million grant from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. IGEM Therapeutics will use the Biomedical Catalyst award to further the development of IGEM-Ch, a novel IgE antibody targeting solid tumours.

IGEM-Ch is a novel and proprietary humanised IgE antibody that binds to the cancer antigen CSPG4 (chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4). The CSPG4 antigen is overexpressed in melanoma and various other cancers including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Pre-clinical studies in the laboratory of Dr Sophia Karagiannis at King’s College London demonstrated that an anti-CSPG4 IgE outperformed an equivalent IgG antibody in a variety of challenging models. The company will receive £1.02M in net funding from the Biomedical Catalyst award to help progress IGEM-Ch into clinical trials by generation of a pre-clinical development package and efficient GMP manufacturing process. IGEM Therapeutics has issued patents covering the antibody in the US, Europe and Australia.

IGEM Therapeutics is building a portfolio of IgE antibodies directed against various cancer antigens including folate receptor alpha, CSPG4, HER2 and EGFR. 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. IGEM Therapeutics has demonstrated superior efficacy for IgE versus IgG equivalent antibodies in a range of pre-clinical cancer models. The company’s scientific founders, Dr Sophia Karagiannis, Professor James Spicer and Dr Vivienne Cox have previously transitioned the first-in-class IgE, IGEM-F, into a Phase 1 clinical trial in cancer patients.

“IGEM Therapeutics is a pioneer in the use of IgE antibodies to treat cancer. We are very proud to have received significant funding from Innovate UK which will help us take our second antibody, IGEM-Ch, into the clinic. 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”.

Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of IGEM Therapeutics