• 2/1/2006
  • San Diego, CA
  • press release
  • Genetic Engineering News (www.genengnews.com)

Immusol announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Baylor College of Medicine for the exclusive, worldwide rights to a novel oncolytic viral therapy using herpes simplex viruses. Baylor researchers have developed extensive expertise in the field of oncolytic virotherapies against a wide variety of solid tumors. The in-licensed therapy represents Baylor’s most advanced virotherapy to date and has shown safety and strong efficacy in a number of preclinical animal tumor models.

Oncolytic viruses are human viruses that infect and replicate in cancer cells, destroying these harmful cells and leaving normal cells largely unaffected as a result of specific viral genetic modifications. Principal anti-tumor mechanism used by these viruses is a direct cytopathic effect, produced as the virus propagates and spreads from initially infected tumor cells to surrounding tumor cells, achieving a progressively larger volume of distribution and enhanced tumor cell killing.

“The recent approval of the first oncolytic viral therapy for head and neck cancer by the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration, together with the increasing number of clinical trials for oncolytic viral therapies worldwide signal the coming of age of oncolytic viral therapy as a new and important modality for cancer treatment,” said Dr. Flossie Wong-Staal, Immusol’s Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Research. “We believe that the Baylor oncolytic viral therapy has significant advantages over many other oncolytic viruses, including higher potency and efficacy in metastatic tumors. We are excited to work with Dr. Xiaoliu Zhang, Associate Professor in the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy and members of his laboratory from Baylor College of Medicine, as well as leading clinicians as we prepare to file an IND for treating solid tumors later this year.”

“At Baylor College of Medicine, our mission to advance human health is partly pursued through the integration of research and patient care,” said Dr. James Patrick, Senior Vice President and Dean of Research at Baylor College of Medicine. “Working with industry partners such as Immusol advances Baylor’s objectives of moving basic pre-clinical discoveries into the clinical phase of development. We are delighted to be collaborating with a biopharmaceutical company with clinical experience in the development of novel cancer therapeutics.”

About Immusol:
Immusol is a privately-held San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel therapies to treat human diseases. Immusol uses an integrated approach, starting with a proprietary discovery technology, to identify therapeutic molecules involved in the areas of cancer, viral infection, and ophthalmology. Based on these discoveries, Immusol develops small molecule and protein-based therapies alone or in collaboration with drug development partners.

About Baylor College of Medicine:
Baylor College of Medicine, one of the nation’s top academic health sciences centers, is committed to advancing human health through the integration of patient care, research, education and community service