Biothera scientists will present four scientific posters at the world’s largest annual cancer research conference: the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting April 18-22 in Philadelphia. Three of the posters were selected for the high profile, late-breaking research sessions—sessions devoted to the newest, most exciting research of the year.

“We are excited to present the latest research on our investigational cancer immunotherapy drug Imprime PGG,” said Jeremy Graff, Ph.D., Senior Vice President Biothera Pharmaceutical Research. “In addition to Imprime PGG’s role in priming innate immune effector cells to recognize and kill antibody-coated tumor cells, the work to be presented highlights a critical role for Imprime PGG in altering the immune microenvironment and triggering cross-talk with the adaptive arm of the immune system.”

All three late-breaking poster presentations will be presented from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm on Tuesday, April 21 in Section 39 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The presentation titles are as follows:

  • Imprime PGG treatment elicits a coordinated antitumor immune response that triggers enhanced expression of PD-L1 on tumor cells as well as monocyte-derived macrophages and dendritic cells. Abstract number: LB-228.
  • Imprime PGG conjugated directly to protein enables cross-presentation of antigen that generates multifunctional cytotoxic T cells. Abstract number: LB-236.
  • Imprime PGG modulates the function of monocyte-derived M2 macrophages and dendritic cells to drive T-cell expansion. Abstract number: LB-225.

Biothera also will present a fourth poster between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm on Wednesday, April 22 in section 11, poster board number 26.

  • Imprime PGG decreases regulatory T cell suppression and enhances T cell proliferation and differentiation revealing additional mechanisms for its anti-tumor activity. Abstract Number: 5034

About Biothera

Biothera, a privately held U.S. biotechnology company, is developing Imprime PGG, a late clinical stage biologic that modulates the immune response to cancer. Data from the most recent randomized phase 2 study of Imprime PGG in first line non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was featured as a late-breaking abstract in the Immunotherapy of Cancer session at ESMO 2014. In this study, which evaluated the addition of Imprime PGG to bevacizumab and carboplatin/paclitaxel versus bevacizumab and chemotherapy alone, objective response rate was 60.4% versus 43.5%, duration of response was 10.3 months versus 5.6 months and median overall survival was 16.1 months versus 11.6 months. Similarly encouraging data have been observed in both squamous and non-squamous subjects in a second randomized Phase 2 study in 1st line NSCLC in combination with cetuximab and in studies in high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia and metastatic colorectal cancer. Imprime PGG is being evaluated in a phase 3 study in late stage metastatic colorectal cancer and planning is underway for an approvable study in NSCLC. Emerging research further shows that Imprime PGG can re-orient the larger immune microenvironment, affecting both innate and adaptive immune effector cells, including T cells, dendritic cells, macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

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Biothera, the Immune Health CompanyDavid Walsh, 651-256-4606SVP Marketing & Communicationsdwalsh@biothera.com