Medigene Starts Phase I/II Study with DC Vaccine to Treat Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) - Seite 2

About Medigene's DC vaccines: The platform for the development of antigen-tailored DC vaccines is the most advanced platform of the three highly innovative and complementary immunotherapy platforms of Medigene Immunotherapies (formerly Trianta Immunotherapies): DC vaccines, TCR-based adoptive T cell therapy (TCRs) and T cell-specific monoclonal antibodies (TABs).

The DC vaccines are currently being evaluated in two ongoing clinical investigator-initiated trials: a clinical phase I/II trial in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) at the Ludwig-Maximilian University Hospital Großhadern, Munich, and a clinical phase II trial in prostate cancer at the Oslo University Hospital. Moreover, a compassionate use programme^[1] is being conducted at the Department of Cellular Therapy at the Oslo University Hospital. Medigene concentrates on the further development of DC vaccines in hematological malignancies.

Data on patients with solid tumours who have received DC vaccines based on Medigene's approach will be presented at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting taking place from April 18-22 2015 in Philadelphia, USA (see Medigene's press release from 19 March 2015).

Medigene's dendritic cell product platform allows the design of new generation dendritic cell vaccines. Dendritic cells can take up antigens efficiently, process them and present them on their surface in a form that can induce antigen-specific T cells to proliferate and mature. This way T cells can recognize and eliminate antigen-bearing tumour cells. Dendritic cells can also induce natural killer cells (NK cells) to become active and attack tumour cells. Scientists of Medigene Immunotherapies have developed new, fast and efficient methods for preparing autologous (patient-specific) mature dendritic cells which have relevant characteristics to activate both T cells and NK cells. The dendritic cells can be loaded with various tumour antigens to treat different types of cancer and are designed for treatment of minimal residual disease or use in combination therapies.

Medigene AG is a publicly listed (Frankfurt: MDG1, prime standard) biotechnology company headquartered in Martinsried near Munich, Germany. Medigene concentrates on the development of personalized T cell immunotherapies with a focus on hematological malignancies. Medigene is the first German biotech company to have revenues from a marketed product, which is distributed by commercial partner companies. Medigene has advanced drug candidates which are licenced to partners and additional candidates in clinical development. The company is developing highly innovative treatment platforms concentrating on cancer and autoimmune diseases. For more information, please visit www.medigene.com.