Epimmune and Immuno-Designed Molecules Enter Into License Option Agreement For Cancer Epitopes for Ex Vivo Applications
Monday October 14, 7:00 am ET
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Epimmune Inc. (Nasdaq: EPMN - News), a biotechnology company focused on the development of pharmaceutical products using multiple, specific epitopes to activate the body's immune system, today announced that it had entered into an evaluation and license option agreement with Immuno-Designed Molecules, S.A. (IDM) for certain cancer antigens for use in IDM's ex vivo cancer therapy program.
Under the terms of the agreement, IDM will have 120 days from the date of the option agreement to evaluate the epitopes and exercise its option to license certain patented and non-patented rights to Epimmune's universal cancer epitope packages for use in ex vivo cancer therapy. Should IDM exercise its rights under the agreement, it will have a non-exclusive license to use the epitopes in connection with its Dendritophage(TM) ex vivo technology. Epimmune received an evaluation license fee and is further entitled to receive a license fee if IDM exercises its option to obtain license rights, and pre-commercialization milestones and royalties on product sales if IDM develops products utilizing the Epimmune technology.
Epimmune's cancer epitopes (antigen fragments) are derived from multiple tumor associated antigens and contain both native and analog epitope sequences. IDM's technology consists of monocyte derived dendritic cells (Dendritophages) loaded in vitro with tumor antigens or epitopes and then reinjected to the patient.
About Epimmune Inc.
Epimmune Inc., based in San Diego, is focused on the development of pharmaceutical products using multiple, specific epitopes to activate the body's immune system. Epitopes, critical signaling molecules, stimulate the T cell arm of the immune system to respond to specific regions of cancer cells or infectious agents. By combining multiple, selected epitopes into a single drug candidate, the immune response can be both targeted and optimized for strength. Epimmune's therapeutic drug candidates are designed to treat disease by stimulating the body's immune system to respond aggressively to infections, such as HIV, hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus, and tumors such as breast, colon, lung and prostate tumors. The Company's preventative drug candidates are designed to protect against disease by teaching the body's immune system to react quickly when exposed to infectious agents. Epimmune's technology can also be used to identify and potentially eliminate undesirable reactions to therapeutic drugs or consumer products by modifying specific epitopes to suppress the unwanted immune response. For more information on Epimmune, visit www.epimmune.com . |
