MARLBOROUGH, Mass.,
March 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII) and
privately-held MirImmune LLC, today announced that they have
entered into an exclusive license agreement to RXi's novel and
proprietary sd-rxRNA® technology for use in developing innovative
cell-based cancer immunotherapies. The collaboration has the
potential to result in novel, more effective and patient friendly
cancer treatments that could be a significant step toward
personalized medicine.
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Under the terms of the agreement, MirImmune will be responsible
for all research, development, manufacturing, regulatory and
commercialization activities for the licensed products. It will
develop cell-based therapeutics utilizing RXi's sd-rxRNA technology
to target immune inhibitory pathways (checkpoints) which are
responsible for limiting the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies.
According to the terms, MirImmune will gain access to RXi's
sd-rxRNA® and rxRNAori® patent families for ex vivo
modification of cells for the treatment of cancer. These patents
include the composition of the sd-rxRNA and rxRNAori RNAi
structures, as well as potential targets for cell-based
therapeutics.
As consideration for this license, RXi will receive an annual
licensing fee, clinical milestone payments, sublicensing income and
single digit royalties. Pending MirImmune's achievement of a few
gating milestones, RXi will have the right to acquire a
double-digit equity stake in MirImmune.
"We are pleased to provide MirImmune access to our novel
self-delivering RNAi compounds for ex vivo cell therapy for
the treatment of cancer," said Dr. Geert
Cauwenbergh, President and CEO of RXi Pharmaceuticals. He
further added, "This license agreement marks the latest milestone
for the Company to partner and collaborate with industry to provide
new and innovative therapeutics, while also providing the potential
for a long-term financial return for our shareholders."
Dr. Craig Mello, Chairman of RXi
Pharmaceuticals Scientific Advisory Board, said that, "Not only is
this collaboration a visionary step forward by RXi because it has
the potential to develop cutting edge cell-based therapeutics for
cancer immunotherapy and possibly other unmet medical needs, it
also further validates the Company's proprietary self-delivering
RNAi technology platform."
"We are delighted to work with RXi Pharmaceuticals and their
cutting-edge, self-delivering RNAi compounds as we progress
research and development efforts with our cell-based therapy
approach," said Alexey Eliseev, CEO
of MirImmune LLC. "Following careful evaluation of the various
siRNA delivery platforms, we believe RXi's self-delivering
technology is best suited for cell-based therapeutics for the
following reasons:
- sd-rxRNAs easily transfect any cell type;
- sd-rxRNAs do not require formulation in a complex delivery
system for efficient cellular uptake. This allows for a streamlined
manufacturing process;
- The sd-rxRNA platform was demonstrated to be safe and
well-tolerated in GLP toxicology studies (dermal and systemic) and
in dermal clinical trials; and
- sd-rxRNA allows for the ability to target multiple genes of
interest simultaneously.
Access to RXi's technology transforms our ability to move
forward with our efforts to develop targeted cancer cell
therapeutics."
About Cancer Immunotherapies
Cancer cells are formed in the body almost every day but we are
normally not affected by them as they are destroyed by the body's
immune system. The immune system is a complex network of various
cells and organs that work together to attack foreign and non-self
invaders. When the immune system is weaker, cancer cells can evolve
as a disease and begin to grow.
Cancer immunotherapy attempts to treat the disease by
stimulating the immune system to reject and destroy tumors. There
are three main classes of this type of immunotherapy: cell-based
therapies, antibody therapies and cytokine therapies.
Cell-based cancer immunotherapy, also known as Autologous Immune
Enhancement Therapy (AIET), is a treatment that uses a patient's
own cells. Immune cells (peripheral blood-derived NK cells,
Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and others) are taken out of the body,
cultured and processed to become activated (in this case with
sd-rxRNA compounds) and are then reinfused to attack cancer cells.
Researchers have found that this type of cell therapy primarily
targets cancer cells and not healthy cells. This approach differs
from chemotherapy and radiotherapy where healthy cells are also
destroyed.
About MirImmune LLC
MirImmune is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused
on the development of new generation immunotherapies for cancer.
Aiming to achieve long-term survival of cancer patients, we combine
two leading approaches to cancer treatment: immune checkpoint
inhibition and cell-based immunotherapies. Additional information
may be found on the Company's website, www.mirimmunebio.com.
About RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation
RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII) is a
biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing
innovative therapeutics addressing high-unmet medical needs
primarily in the area of dermatology and ophthalmology. Our
discovery and clinical development programs are based on siRNA
technology as well as immunotherapy agents. These compounds
include, but are not limited to, our proprietary, self-delivering
RNAi (sd-rxRNA®) compounds for the treatment of dermal
and retinal scarring. It also includes an immunomodulator,
Samcyprone™, a proprietary gel formulation of
diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP), for the treatment of such disorders
as alopecia areata, warts, and cutaneous metastases of
melanoma.
RXi's robust pipeline, coupled with an extensive patent
portfolio, provides for product and business development
opportunities across a broad spectrum. We are committed to being a
partner of choice for academia, small companies, and large
multinationals. We welcome ideas and proposals for strategic
alliances, including in- and out-licensing opportunities, to
advance and further develop strategic areas of interest. Additional
information may be found on the Company's website,
www.rxipharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements
about future expectations and planned and future development of RXi
Pharmaceuticals Corporation's products, technologies and
partnerships, including statements regarding potential payments
from MirImmune under RXi's license agreement. Forward-looking
statements about expectations and development plans of RXi's
products and partnerships involve significant risks and
uncertainties such as: risks related to our ability to control the
timing and terms of collaborations with third parties (including
MirImmune) and the ability to receive payments under these
agreements, as well as risks relating to the value of any equity
position that may be acquired in MirImmune. Actual results may
differ from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements.
RXi does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to
reflect a change in its views, events or circumstances that occur
after the date of this release.
Contact
RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Tamara McGrillen
508-929-3646
tmcgrillen@rxipharma.com
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SOURCE RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation