Le Lézard
Classified in: Health, Science and technology, Business
Subjects: CON, LIC

Phio Pharmaceuticals and Karolinska Institutet Expand Collaboration to Develop Self-Delivering RNAi Immunotherapies for Treating Solid Tumors


MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Nov. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: PHIO), a biotechnology company developing the next-generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics based on its proprietary self-delivering RNAi (INTASYLtm) therapeutic platform, announced today that it expanded its research collaboration with the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. The collaboration thus far has focused on the use of the Company's self-delivering RNAi compounds against targets involved in T cell and NK cell differentiation and/or tumor-induced stress response, with the aim of producing anti-tumor adoptive cell therapy grafts with improved functionality and persistence. Based on compelling results, Phio Pharmaceuticals and Karolinska have agreed to extend and expand the collaboration to research aimed at decreasing immune-inhibitory factors in the tumor micro-environment and/or arming T cell, NK cell, dendritic cells and macrophages to overcome tumor immunosuppression utilizing Phio Pharmaceuticals' INTASYLtm platform.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/786567/Phio_Pharmaceuticals_Logo.jpg

This work will further align with ongoing translational research at the Karolinska Institutet, which combines adoptive T cell therapy and dendritic cell vaccination. The focus of the expanded collaboration will include developing a pathway to the clinic and establishing the utility of Phio Pharmaceuticals' self-delivering RNAi in these therapeutic applications.

Dr. Gerrit Dispersyn, President and CEO of Phio Pharmaceuticals, stated, "Over the last year, our collaboration with Dr. Kiessling's group at the Karolinska Institutet has led to exciting results with several compounds in both T cells and NK cells, including the results presented earlier this month at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer 2019 Annual Meeting showing that INTASYLtm  technology can be used to expand T cells with superior anti-tumor potential for adoptive cell therapies. Our continued collaboration will build upon these findings and expand to additional targets and cell types. We are very pleased to be working with Dr. Kiessling and his team on the advancement of our self-delivering RNAi immuno-oncology therapeutics towards clinical application in areas of Karolinska's ongoing clinical research."

Rolf Kiessling, MD, PhD, Senior Professor in Experimental Oncology at the Karolinska Institutet, Senior Chief Physician at the Oncology clinic at the Karolinska University Hospital and member of Phio Pharmaceuticals' Scientific Advisory Board stated, "Our results to date show that we can use self-delivering RNAi to modulate targets outside of checkpoints to improve efficacy of immune effector cells such as T cells and NK cells. The flexibility and ease of use of the platform means that we can also integrate this technology with other types of cells used in immuno-oncology therapy, including those that are currently being used in ongoing Karolinska clinical practice and clinical research."

About Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: PHIO) is a biotechnology company developing the next generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics based on its self-delivering RNAi (INTASYLtm) therapeutic platform. The Company's efforts are focused on silencing tumor-induced suppression of the immune system through our proprietary INTASYLtm platform with utility in immune cells and/or the tumor micro-environment. Our goal is to maximize the power of our INTASYLtm therapeutic compounds by weaponizing immune effector cells to overcome tumor immune escape providing patients with a powerful new treatment option that goes beyond current treatment modalities. For additional information, visit the Company's website, www.phiopharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. These statements are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of important factors, including, but not limited to, the safety and efficacy of our product candidates, future success of our clinical trials and scientific studies, expected duration of available cash runway, our ability to enter into strategic partnerships and the future success of these strategic partnerships, the availability of funds and resources to pursue our research and development projects and general economic conditions. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q include detailed risks under the caption "Risk Factors" that may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Readers are urged to review these risk factors and to not act in reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual results may differ from those contemplated by our forward-looking statements. Phio 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

Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp.
[email protected]

Investor Contact

Ashley R. Robinson 
LifeSci Advisors
[email protected]

 

SOURCE Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp.


These press releases may also interest you

at 14:25
Regulatory News: POXEL SA (Euronext: POXEL - FR0012432516), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and...

at 14:20
Koryx Copper Inc. ("Koryx" or the "Company") announces that the Company has closed a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") for a total gross proceed of $1,505,250. The Offering closed 23,157,692 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at...

at 14:20
Mishe (say "mish-e"), an innovator in direct healthcare, announces the launch of Downstate's Transparent Access Plan, making SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University the first hospital system in the US to offer transparent upfront pricing for its...

at 14:14
To support ongoing efforts to ensure the effectiveness and integrity of Canada's tax system, the Government of Canada introduced new reporting requirements for trusts. In recognition that the new reporting requirements for bare trusts have had an...

at 14:10
EV NICKEL INC. ("EVNi" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced private placement of flow-through common shares for aggregate proceeds of $5,119,750 (the "Offering"). The Offering was led by PowerOne...

at 14:08
Stoic Equity Partners has closed on the purchase of another flex industrial property, the third closing associated with its investment fund, SEP Industrial Holdings I, LLC. The asset, a 5-building portfolio located on McDonough Pkwy in McDonough,...



News published on and distributed by: