The Wistar Institute, Advaxis enter research collaboration

Apr 15 2011

Advaxis, Inc., (OTCBB: ADXS), the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) vaccine company, has entered into a research collaboration with the laboratory of Ellen Puré, Ph.D., professor/associate vice president for Academic Affairs at The Wistar Institute. Dr. Puré's research defines the role of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) in cancer, and she has demonstrated that genetically deleting or therapeutically targeting FAP significantly reduces tumor growth in mice. Advaxis will use these mouse models to explore the potential of FAP as a target for immune attack and as the basis for the development of a live attenuated Listeria vaccine using the company's proprietary Lm-LLO technology.

"We now know that a variety of different cancers can be treated by attacking the blood vessels that are necessary to support tumor cells, and in the same way it may be possible to provide cancer therapy by limiting the supporting tissue matrix (stroma) that tumors need to grow," said Advaxis EVP Dr. Rothman. "Advaxis will use its proprietary Lm-LLO technology to create and test an attenuated Listeria vaccine to FAP, both as a single antigen vaccine, and possibly as a dual antigen vaccine in combination with another tumor target, to see which approach is the most effective. Advaxis' objective is to bring an FAP vaccine to the clinic as soon as possible."

"We are pleased to collaborate with Advaxis in this promising venture by providing the key preclinical models to test the potential efficacy, specificity and safety of their candidate vaccine," Pure said. "Our mouse models will enable Advaxis to define the mechanism of action and to evaluate possible effects that may limit the usefulness of their approach which, I believe, shows potential."