Scancell licences human antibody from Cancer Research Technology

18 August 2010

Cancer Research Technology Ltd (CRT), the commercialisation and development arm of Cancer Research UK, has licensed Nottingham University spinout Scancell Holdings plc to use a human antibody known as 105AD7.

105AD7 is a human monoclonal antibody that mimics the complement regulatory protein, CD55. The antibody was discovered and originally developed at the University of Nottingham with support from Cancer Research UK and has previously been evaluated in clinical trials for osteosarcoma. The agreement will give Scancell a worldwide licence to use 105AD7 for the development of new immunobody vaccines for any immunotherapy indication.

The licence will be restricted to the use of the antibody as a framework for future immunobody vaccines.

Scancell’s current ImmunoBody vaccines, such as SCIB1, its vaccine currently in Phase I clinical trials for the treatment of melanoma, use a deimmunised antibody as the framework. 105AD7 will allow Scancell to use a fully human framework for the development of future ImmunoBody vaccines.

Under the terms of the agreement, Scancell will make an upfront payment to CRT in addition to development milestone payments, and royalty payments on future sales. Scancell will exclusively fund the development work, and have sub-licensing rights on agreed terms.

Professor Lindy Durrant, Chief Executive Officer of Scancell, commented: “I am pleased that we have secured this important agreement with Cancer Research Technology. By utilising antibody 105AD7, Scancell will be able to further enhance the clinical utility and safety of Scancell’s ImmunoBody platform both in cancer and other immunotherapy indications.”

Dr Phil L’Huillier, Cancer Research Technology’s director of business management, said: “Through this deal with Scancell we are able to take forward this antibody arising from research from our world-class scientists into commercial development to potentially make new vaccines to treat a range of diseases.”