A new collaboration among UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, the
University of Pittsburgh and New Jersey-based biotechnology company
Avalon GloboCare Corp. (NASDAQ: AVCO) aims to develop new cancer
immunotherapy approaches and streamline manufacturing processes to
bring these powerful treatments to cancer patients within days
instead of weeks.
Cancer immunotherapy, which stimulates and trains a patient’s
own immune system to target and kill tumors while leaving healthy
cells intact, is an effective treatment for many cancer patients.
One of these therapies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell
therapy, alters a patient’s own T-cells to kill their cancer cells.
This approach has been successful for some patients with leukemias,
lymphomas and more recently, multiple myeloma, but only a limited
number of patients have been able to benefit from these
therapies.
The new collaboration, led by Yen-Michael S. Hsu, M.D., Ph.D.,
director of the Immunologic Monitoring and Cellular Products
Laboratory (IMCPL) at UPMC Hillman, seeks to develop
next-generation CAR-based cellular therapies to make them
accessible to a wider range of cancer patients.
CAR T-cell therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) are personalized therapies, made from the
patient’s own cells. Current therapies use a DNA-based viral vector
to engineer expression of the CAR against an antigen present on
tumor cells. Patient cells are modified in the laboratory and
infused back into the patient in a process that takes several
weeks.
“With Avalon GloboCare FLASH-CAR™ technology, we will use
an innovative messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based technology
platform that will allow researchers to create CAR cellular
therapies much faster than before -- in just one to two days,” said
Hsu. “We also believe this approach will reduce toxicity and
overall cost associated with current CAR T-cell therapies, meaning
more cancer patients could be eligible for this type of cellular
therapy.”
The researchers are also using the technology to develop
next-generation, personalized CAR T-cell therapies, including
engineering cells that target more than one tumor antigen,
enhancing their ability to target and kill cancer cells. Hillman’s
IMCPL and Avalon GloboCare are developing a treatment for patients
with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia and
non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Human clinical trials are poised to begin in
mid-2022.
Another goal, according to Hsu, is to make “universal” or
“off-the-shelf” CAR-based cancer immunotherapies. Unlike
personalized treatments, this universal cellular therapy will be
derived from a healthy donor, manufactured in bulk and readily
available to treat patients without delay
“A clinician could order this cellular immunotherapy in the same
way as antibody or oral cancer treatment, reducing the time a
patient has to wait for treatment. Because this cellular therapy
would be made in a large batch, the cost of manufacturing would be
much lower, resulting in a lower cost of the final cellular therapy
products for patients,” said Hsu.
The researchers are also working to streamline and enhance the
quality of CAR T-cell manufacturing with Avalon’s Point-of-Care
Modular Autonomous Processing System onsite at UPMC Hillman, a
National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer
center.
As an FDA-registered, Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular
Therapy-accredited laboratory, the IMCPL supports
investigator-initiated research and technical expertise in
translating laboratory research into clinical biologic products.
The mission of the lab is to deliver high-quality and safe
translation of cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs into cellular
therapies for improving cancer care and human health.
About UPMC Hillman Cancer CenterUPMC Hillman
Cancer Center is the region’s only National Cancer
Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and is one of the
largest integrated community cancer networks in the United States.
Backed by the collective strength of UPMC—which is ranked No. 15
for cancer care nationally by U.S. News & World Report—and the
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer
Center has nearly 70 locations throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, New
York, and Maryland, with cancer centers and partnerships
internationally. The more than 2,000 physicians, researchers, and
staff are leaders in molecular and cellular cancer biology, cancer
immunology, cancer virology, biobehavioral cancer control, and
cancer epidemiology, prevention, and therapeutics. UPMC Hillman
Cancer Center is transforming cancer research, care, and
prevention—one patient at a time.
About the University of Pittsburgh School of
MedicineAs one of the nation’s leading academic centers
for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a
broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the
power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven
mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has
ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National
Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by
the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all
American universities in total federal science and engineering
research and development support.
Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to
advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate
education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative
leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians
and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class
research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC,
which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of
medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a
driving force behind the region’s economy. For more information
about the School of Medicine, see www.medschool.pitt.edu.
About Avalon GloboCare Corp.Avalon GloboCare
Corp. (NASDAQ: AVCO) is a clinical-stage, vertically integrated,
leading CellTech bio-developer dedicated to advancing and
empowering innovative, transformative immune effector cell therapy,
exosome technology, as well as COVID-19 related diagnostics and
therapeutics. Avalon also provides strategic advisory and
outsourcing services to facilitate and enhance its clients' growth
and development, as well as competitiveness in healthcare and
CellTech industry markets. Through its subsidiary structure with
unique integration of verticals from innovative R&D to
automated bioproduction and accelerated clinical development,
Avalon is establishing a leading role in the fields of cellular
immunotherapy (including CAR-T/NK), exosome technology (ACTEX™),
and regenerative therapeutics. For more information about Avalon
GloboCare, please visit www.avalon-globocare.com.
For the latest updates on Avalon GloboCare's developments,
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contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking
statements." Forward-looking statements provide current
expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and
include any statement that does not directly relate to any
historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially
from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result
of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the
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performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of
more general factors including (without limitation) general
industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic
conditions, and governmental and public policy changes. The
forward-looking statements included in this press release represent
the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these
views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update
these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the
Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These
forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as
representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the
date of the press release.
Contact Information: Avalon GloboCare
Corp. 4400 Route 9, Suite 3100 Freehold, NJ
07728PR@Avalon-GloboCare.com
Investor Relations: Crescendo Communications,
LLC Tel: (212) 671-1020 Ext.
304avco@crescendo-ir.com
Contact: Cyndy
Patton Mobile:
412-415-6085E-mail:
PattonC4@upmc.edu
Contact: Asher JonesMobile:
412-639-6222E-mail:
JonesAG@upmc.edu
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