TEL AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a poster presentation today at The
Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating
Science into Survival, being held in New York City,
Arthur Machlenkin, Ph.D., Head of Immuno-Oncology Research at Compugen
Ltd. (NASDAQ:
CGEN), presented the predictive discovery and experimental
validation of certain Compugen-discovered novel drug targets for cancer
immunotherapy, and disclosed new target validation results for one of
these candidates, CGEN-15052.
Certain immune checkpoints present in the tumor microenvironment have
been shown to inhibit T cells, which are a critical component of the
anti-tumor immune response, and therefore suppress the immune system’s
ability to destroy malignant cells, thus allowing tumor growth. The new
target validation data presented at the conference demonstrate, as
expected from an immune checkpoint target candidate, that the expression
of CGEN-15052 on cancer cells in a syngeneic mouse animal model enhances
tumor growth compared with control cancer cells. In addition, CGEN-15052
was previously shown to bind to activated T cells and inhibit human and
mouse T cell activation. Combined with the high expression of CGEN-15052
found in the tumor microenvironment of multiple cancers, such as lung
and breast cancers, these results suggest that this Compugen-discovered
protein has the potential to serve as a highly promising
immunotherapeutic target for multiple cancer types.
“We are very pleased to report further progress in validating CGEN-15052
as a novel immune checkpoint target candidate for the treatment of
cancer,” said Anat Cohen-Dayag, Ph.D., Compugen’s President and Chief
Executive Officer. “The validation results to date, both in vitro
and in an animal setting, support the therapeutic potential of
inhibiting CGEN-15052 and thus restoring immune response against cancer.”
Dr. Cohen-Dayag added, “The excitement being generated by the clinical
results of the few cancer immunotherapy drugs now available highlights
the need for additional immuno-oncology drugs to treat the majority of
cancer patients for whom these current therapies are of little, if any,
benefit. Therefore, the continuing demonstration of the potential of the
large number of novel immune checkpoint target candidates discovered by
the Company in a variety of cancers and immune cell sub-types is very
exciting from both a medical and commercial standpoint.”
About Immune Checkpoints
Immune checkpoints are inhibitory receptors and their ligands, which are
crucial for the maintenance of self-tolerance (that is, the prevention
of autoimmunity) and for the protection of tissues from damage when the
immune system is responding to pathogenic infection or other injuries.
These immune checkpoints, which are "hijacked" by tumors to block the
ability of the immune system to destroy the tumor (immune resistance),
have emerged as promising targets for cancer immunotherapy, and have
shifted the treatment paradigms for several major cancer types.
Therapeutic blockade of immune checkpoints boosts anti-tumor immunity,
enabling the patient’s immune system to recognize and attack the tumor
cells, and mount durable anti-tumor responses and tumor destruction.
Although to date the blockade of immune checkpoints has proven effective
for only a minority of patients in a limited, but growing number of
cancer types, it has provided impressive clinical benefits, enabling
long-term survival, even for end-stage patients, and is transforming
cancer therapeutics.
About Compugen
Compugen is a leading drug discovery company utilizing its broadly
applicable predictive discovery infrastructure to identify novel drug
targets and develop first-in-class biologics. The Company’s current
pipeline focus is on immune checkpoint target candidates discovered by
the Company, potentially providing the basis for a next wave of
therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy. Compugen’s business model is
based on selectively entering into collaborations for its novel targets
and drug product candidates at various stages of research and
development under revenue-sharing agreements. The Company is
headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with R&D facilities in Tel Aviv and
South San Francisco. At the US facilities, monoclonal antibody
therapeutic candidates are discovered and developed against the
Company’s novel target candidates. For additional information, please
visit Compugen's corporate website at www.cgen.com.
Forward Looking Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology
such as “will,” “may,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” and
“intends,” and describe opinions about future events. These
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties that may cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of Compugen to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Some of these risks include: that Compugen’s
business model is substantially dependent on entering into collaboration
agreements with third parties and may not be successful in generating
revenues, and that the development and commercialization of therapeutic
products include many inherent risks, including failure to progress to
clinical trials or, if they progress to or enter clinical trials,
failure to receive regulatory approval. These and other factors are more
fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Compugen’s most recent
Annual Report on Form 20-F as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as well as other documents that may be subsequently filed by
Compugen from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In addition, any forward-looking statements represent Compugen’s views
only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as
representing its views as of any subsequent date. Compugen does not
assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements unless
required by law.