Studies designed to enhance T cell and NK cell potencies through improved genetic modification and increased cytolytic granules
SARASOTA and TAMPA, Fla. – Feb. 27, 2017 – Vycellix, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative small molecules to enhance cellular therapies, facilitate manufacturing processes and optimize human immune response against disease, today announced that it has entered into a collaborative research arrangement with Moffitt Cancer Center, an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, to further validate Vycellix’s novel product candidates, VY-OZ and VY-X. The planned studies aim to evaluate the molecules’ potential as a platform technology capable of enhancing the potency of adoptive cell immunotherapies for cancer.
Pre-clinical studies conducted at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute have demonstrated that Vycellix’s molecules significantly enhance cancer targeting cytotoxic lymphocytes such as cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells (NK cells). The Moffitt team, led by James J Mulé, Ph.D., Associate Center Director for Translational Science, will conduct additional studies evaluating each molecule’s respective ability to improve genetic modification of cancer immune lymphocytes and increase their killing capacity.
According to Dr. Mulé, “We are intrigued by the potential to make genetic modification processes more efficient and to ‘super-charge’ targeted T cells and NK cells by inducing significantly increased loads of cancer-killing granules. We look forward to evaluating how these molecules can improve a broad array of important cell-based cancer immunotherapies we are advancing at Moffitt.”
About Vycellix, Inc.:
Vycellix, Inc. is a closely-held biotechnology company advancing innovative products designed to enhance cellular therapies, facilitate manufacturing processes and optimize human immune response against disease with a focus on cancers.
Vycellix’s pipeline of novel immunomodulators represents:
- Platform technology for the efficient, cost-effective modulation of cell and gene therapies.
- Monotherapy and/or adjuvant therapeutics targeting cancers and infectious disease.
- Enhancers of gene editing for CRISPR-Cas9 systems.
For more information, please visit: www.Vycellix.com
Follow Vycellix on Twitter (@Vycellix) at: https://twitter.com/vycellix
About Moffitt Cancer Center:
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 47 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research, clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt is the No. 6 cancer hospital in the nation and has been listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of the “Best Hospitals” for cancer care since 1999. Moffitt devotes more than 2.5 million square feet to research and patient care. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. With more than 5,200 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.1 billion.
For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit www.MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.