Scancell Holdings Plc (LON:SCLP) shares rose on Thursday on news the firm has extended its collaboration with the rheumatology unit of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden’s world-leading medical research university.
The pair will focus on broadening the applications for Scancell’s Moditope platform, building on a relationship that’s been in place for more than two years.
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The Moditope technology is central to one of the company’s main drug candidates, MODI-1, which initially will be trialled in breast and ovarian cancer as well as sarcoma (tumours found in fat, muscle, bone and tendons).
The Scancell innovation acts to stimulate the production of killer CD4+ T cells that seek out and kill tumour cells that would otherwise be hidden from the immune system.
Scientists at the Karolinska Institute, led by Professors Lars Klareskog and Vivianne Malmström, uncovered an essential role for citrullinated proteins, which are normally associated with arthritis, in this process.
"We are pleased to have broadened our research collaboration with Professor Klareskog, Professor Malmström and their colleagues at the Karolinska Institute,” said Scancell’s chief scientific officer, Professor Lindy Durrant.
“Our research has shown that citrullinated proteins are involved in the control of tumour growth and we believe that this expanded collaboration will help us to develop Moditope, not only for use in cancer vaccines but also as part of other cancer immunotherapy approaches."
In mid-morning trading, Scancell shares were 0.8% higher at 12.25p.
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