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news.ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, has filed a provisional US patent application relating to its vaccine technology targeting cancer stem cells. The vaccine technology is exclusively licensed from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
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The patent claims are broad and include compositions of peptides for cancer immunotherapy as well as methods for inducing immune responses against tumor antigens in cancer patients.
The vaccine being developed by ImmunoCellular Therapeutics (IMUC) is composed of certain novel peptides (small chains of amino acids) which the company believes can stimulate the immune system to target cancer stem cells (CSCs) in gliomas, a cancer originating in the brain or spine. These peptides were specifically designed to elicit a T cell response targeting CD133 positive cancer stem cells that have been identified in a number of cancer types, including gliomas, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer.
Manish Singh, president and CEO of IMUC, said: “We are optimistic about the potential of our cancer stem cell vaccine program and look forward to entering the clinic early next year with our cancer stem cell vaccine, ICT-121, a non patient-specific, ‘off-the-shelf’ product candidate initially targeting glioblastoma.
“This is a potentially revolutionary technology that targets cancer cells where they are believed by many scientists to begin – at their very root in the form of CSCs – and this patent filing, if successful, will significantly enhance our intellectual property position surrounding this vaccine.”