ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Presented at Biotech Showcase 2013

SAN FRANCISCO, January 9, 2013 – Biotech Showcase 2013, at the Parc 55 Wyndham Union Square Hotel, offered many opportunities for small and medium-sized biotech public or private firms the opportunity present their information to potential investors or partners.  I watched presentations from several companies.  The following summary highlights the activities of ImmunoCellular Therapeutics.

Director of Business Development and former scientist, Peter Ho talked about his firm, ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. (IMUC:NYSE Amex). Peter said that the company’s technology is a next generation cancer immunotherapy that combines targeting of cancer stem cells (CSCs) with strong immunotherapy to effectively eradicate cancer cells. He said that their technology overcomes the failures of previous cancer vaccines. By killing CSCs, the cancer cells will not grow back.  Ho said that T cells kill cancer cells, have high specificity, targets several antigens, offers a level of safety and can distinguish between cancer stem cells and normal stem cells.

He discussed the product pipeline and clinical development status.  Peter said that the company is creating immunotherapies that treat multiple cancer indications.  The firm has three near term immunotherapies including ICT-107 (GBM), ICT-140 (Ovarian), and ICT-121 (recurrant GBM and CD133 marker).

Peter said that ICT-107 is a dendritic cell vaccine used against glioblastoma (GBM) antigens and CSCs (brain cancer).  This product is in a Phase 2 study with results planned for late 2013.  He said that ICT-140 targets ovarian cancer antigens and CSCs.  The firm did an IND filing in Q4/2012.  Their ICT-121 is a dendritic cell vaccine initially for recurrent GBM and targets the CD133 biomarker.  He said that the CD133 biomarker is a common biomarker in several cancers including brain, NSCLC, melanoma, pancreatic and breast cancer. The IND is approved and clinical enrollment started in 4Q/2012.

Peter said that their lead product candidate, ICT-107, has a significantly lower cost of goods (COGs) advantage over Dendreon’s Provenge. ICT-107 is 5-10% of COGs vs. Provenge 70% of COGs.

He concluded his talk by saying that the company has 28 patents, has an experienced management team, and raised $20 million in October 2012.  The firm recently hired Andrew Gengos as the new CEO in December 2012 to lead their commercialization efforts. ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. is based in Woodland Hills, California.