Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 16, 2022) - Defence Therapeutics Inc. (CSE: DTC) (FSE: DTC) (OTC Pink: DTCFF) ("Defence" or the "Company"), a Canadian biotech company actively working on accelerating scientific discoveries and products development against cancer, congratulates the US President Joe Biden for the executive order signed on Monday establishing the Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing initiative to ensure cutting-edge biotechnologies necessary to end cancer as we know it, and other innovations to be developed and manufactured in America.
Sixty years ago, US President John F. Kennedy delivered his Moonshot speech at Rice University, committing to putting a man on the moon and bring him back. This past Monday, US President Biden discussed his vision for another American moonshot: ending cancer as we know it, which includes changing people's lives for the better, improving their health and decreasing the burden of the disease with the aim of cutting cancer-related death by 50% in the next 25 years.
Defence AccumTM is a biotechnology platform that is being extensively developed to enhance and increase the efficacy of any existing drugs against cancer, which is directly in line with the Cancer Moonshot program. The AccumTM technology can be exploited to design a multitude of products including: i) antibody-drug conjugates ("ADCs"), ii) protein/cellular vaccines, and iii) the design of anti-cancer small chemotypes.
The Accum-ADC program
The main clinical focus of ADCs has been in the field of breast cancer. However, the treatment regimen is long (numerous cycles), requires large doses, and the therapeutic response is limited. By re-engineering these ADCs to contain AccumTM moieties, Defence has demonstrated that it is indeed possible to improve the potency of commercially-available ADCs by more than 100 folds. This approach does not only apply to commercially-available ADCs, but Defence is currently working on developing its in-house product using its own proprietary antibody and payloads.
Protein- and cell-based vaccines
In addition to ADCs, Defence applied over the last 2 years, the AccumTM technology in the design of novel vaccines. For instance, the company has shown that it is indeed possible to develop an anti-cervical protein-based vaccine without the use of a mixture of HPV-derived proteins. This vaccine contains one protein (the E7 gene product) and can be used both prophylactically (to protect from cervical cancer) or therapeutically to treat established cervical cancer. Defence has demonstrated pre-clinically that the vaccine synergises with various immune-checkpoint blockers and can lead to a survival rate between 70 and 100%.
Another successful example demonstrating how versatile the AccumTM technology is, consists of using this molecule to develop cellular based vaccines. In fact, the Defence team has engineered a variant of the initial AccumTM molecule, which when admixed to a given antigen, can convert mesenchymal stromal cells into potent antigen presenting cells capable of mounting a powerful anti-cancer response. Pre-clinical results in the context of solid lymphoma should be released shortly. In addition, the vaccine is currently being tested in the context of melanoma as a proof-of-principle for a Phase I trial scheduled in 2023.
The AccuTOXTM program: a new line of anti-cancer therapeutics
Although the goal of using AccumTM is mostly to improve biomolecules accumulation in target cells, this small molecule entity was found to exert anti-cancer effects if delivered alone with being conjugated on other proteins, DNA or RNA molecules. As such, this AccumTM variant known as AccuTOXTM, can induce pre-established lymphoma, melanoma and cervical cancer regression and synergises with immune-checkpoint blockers as well. In addition, the AccuTOXTM was shown to cause DNA damage and trigger immunogenic cell death. As such, an AccuTOXTM-based therapy can not only destroy tumors from the inside, but it can also stimulate an immune response to protect the host from subsequent tumor re-growth.
Accum Drug the UndruggableTM
"Defence Therapeutics is well positioned to prevent cancer and to enhance the efficacy of any drugs against cancer with its versatile technology: a solution looking for a cancer problem. With all the cancer programs in development, Defence is in a strong position to truly make a difference and help to reduce the cancer death rate. We are focussing on prevention and to improving the efficacy of any existing and new treatments against any type of cancers. The AccumTM is truly a plug and play platform technology that can enhance existing cancer treatments," said Sebastien Plouffe, Chief Executive Officer of Defence Therapeutics Inc.
About Defence:
Defence Therapeutics is a publicly-traded biotechnology company working on engineering the next generation vaccines and ADC products using its proprietary platform. The core of Defence Therapeutics platform is the ACCUMTM technology, which enables precision delivery of vaccine antigens or ADCs in their intact form to target cells. As a result, increased efficacy and potency can be reached against catastrophic illness such as cancer and infectious diseases.
For further information:
Sebastien Plouffe, President, CEO and Director
P: (514) 947-2272
Splouffe@defencetherapeutics.com
www.defencetherapeutics.com
Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
Neither the CSE nor its market regulator, as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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