Avacta Share Discussion Threads

[urigem] 24/7/2018 20:12

From Bachovchin University Research Page.

Small Molecule Immune Stimulators

We have identified small molecules that can stimulate the immune system to attack tumors. Our lead compound in this class can enhance the efficacy of a dendritic cell cancer vaccine to produce regression and rejection of bulky, established tumors in a preclinical model. As human tumors progress, they develop resistance to immunity. Normally, by the time of a cancer diagnosis, immune resistance has developed, rendering tumor vaccines ineffective. The promising preclinical results suggest that our compounds appear to disarm the shield protecting the tumor from the host immune system. As shown by collaborative studies with the Dr. Terry Fry of the NCI, our agents appear to be especially promising when used in combination with anti-tumor vaccines.

[urigem] 24/7/2018 18:25

more of the same - Proactive investors

Shares in Avacta Group PLC (LON: AVCT) shot up as much as 60% after it said it had agreed a major co-development partnership with a US business.

It is teaming up with Bach BioSciences, a company commercialising the research of William Bachovchin, a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston.

In what is described as a “ground-breaking” co-invention, the two companies have developed a new class of drug conjugate for cancer.

Traditional antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs, are designed to harness the targeting ability of monoclonal antibodies by linking them to cell-killing agents.

Affimers instead of antibodies

The newly-developed technology uses Avacta’s Affimers instead of antibodies.

Its engineered proteins have several innovative and distinctive features, which could potentially make them a better tool than antibodies for therapeutic applications.

They are smaller, quicker to manufacture and easier to format than antibodies, but they maintain antibody-like biologic activity when binding a target.

Bach to the future
Bach, meanwhile, has a “novel and differentiated technology” that incorporates linker chemistry from Tufts.

This selectively releases a potent drug in the tumour without requiring a process called cellular internalisation.

The combination of the two technologies represents a step forward in the development of ADC-style cancer treatment.

“The Affimer-drug conjugate circulates as a single molecule, in which the conjugated drug is inert,” explained Dr Amrik Basran, Avacta chief scientific officer.

“[That is] until it encounters enzymes selectively expressed in tumours, where the drug is released, and through its mechanism of action is designed to turn immunologically ‘cold’ tumours ‘hot’ and receptive to immunotherapy.

“It is our expectation that this will increase the percentage of responsive patients dramatically and, in doing so, it will make a meaningful difference to the lives of a great many cancer patients."

First Affimer drug conjugate
The first Affimer drug conjugate combines Avacta’s PD-L1 technology, which target’s cancer’s off-switch, and an I-DASH small molecule inhibitor.

Tufts is said to have “considerable” clinical data on both inhibitor types, reducing the biology risk.

“We believe that this new drug conjugate platform is transformational for the business,” said chief executive Alastair Smith.

“From our initial discussions with several large pharmaceutical companies, it is clear that there is significant interest and there is certainly the potential for partnering at an early stage once we have the appropriate supporting data from the collaboration with Professor Bachovchin.”

Shares up strongly
The shares responded to the partnership announcement by jumping 11.75p to 40.25p, though the price was well above 50p early in the session.

finnCap, the company’s broker, reckons the stock is worth 200p.

As well as the tie-up with Bach, Avacta is partnered with Glythera Ltd, FIT Biotech and Modern Therapeutics.

Its lead programme, a PD-L1 Affimer, is on track to deliver “several pre-clinical milestones”, the company said in a recent update.

[urigem] 24/7/2018 18:21

Shares of UK-based Avacta Group (AIM: AVCT) soared nearly 58% to 45.00 pence this morning, after it revealed a major co-development partnership with a US business.

Avacta has agreed a co-development partnership with Bach BioSciences, a company commercializing the research of William Bachovchin, Professor of Developmental, Chemical and Molecular Biology at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA.

The collaboration will develop a new class of Affimer drug conjugate therapies with a novel mode of action that combines Avacta’s Affimer technology with drug conjugates developed at Tufts.

Groundbreaking partnership

In a ground-breaking co-invention with Tufts, the company has devised a new class of drug conjugate. This selectively releases a potent drug in the tumor microenvironment (TME) without requiring cellular internalization of the conjugate as is otherwise the case with traditional antibody-drug conjugates. Some of the novel and differentiating features of Avacta’s Affimer-drug conjugate (AfDC) platform include:

Utilizing Affimers that target immune checkpoints such as PD-L1, which serves the dual purpose of localizing the drug conjugate to the tumor, while also being immuno-oncologically active and functioning as immune checkpoint inhibitors; and
Incorporating a novel linker chemistry designed by Tufts to release, only in the tumor, the active forms of highly potent small molecule drugs that are activators of innate immunity. This thereby creates a highly localized inflammatory event that is synergistic with the Affimer checkpoint inhibitor.
Avacta and Tufts have jointly filed for broad patent protection for this inventive concept. The patent covers Affimers, and a wide range of other binders, against oncology, viral and inflammatory targets that are not internalized rapidly enough to be useful in traditional antibody-drug conjugates. It also covers a wide range of drugs to which the binders can be conjugated.

The drug development partnership that the company is now initiating with Prof Bachovchin will develop the first example of this new class of drug conjugate based on the combination of Affimer PDL1 inhibitors and an I-DASH small molecule inhibitor, for which considerable clinical data has already been generated by the laboratory at Tufts. Avacta has exclusive rights to commercialize these novel drug conjugates.

“We are very excited indeed by this highly novel Affimer drug conjugate concept, the first example of which builds on our own PD-L1 program and the world-class research of Professor Bachovchin at Tufts University School of Medicine, one of the top US medical schools and research institutes,” said Dr Alastair Smith, chief executive of Avacta..

He continued: “We believe that this new drug conjugate platform is transformational for the business. From our initial discussions with several large pharmaceutical companies, it is clear that there is significant interest and there is certainly the potential for partnering at an early stage once we have the appropriate supporting data from the collaboration with Professor Bachovchin.”

[lantanatony] 24/7/2018 17:18

Danatkins,
I mean why are the affimer research sales so poor.Not
therapeutic Affimers.

[bonzo] 24/7/2018 17:04

The time frame for these activities is 3 to 5 years, not 3 to 5 minutes as some people seem to think or want! It's at least as long as developing a new drug.

[urigem] 24/7/2018 15:30

They seem to be getting there with the partnerships, but obviously these take time to get from pre clinical.

Quite a lot going on - from the results

Operating highlights

Affimer Therapeutics

-- Strong progress with in-house programmes:
-- Lead PD-L1 programme: on-track to deliver several key pre-clinical milestones in 2018.
-- Excellent progress with second immuno-oncology programme, a LAG3 blockade, which can be combined with PD-L1 for improved efficacy.

-- Discovery programme continues to deliver a pipeline of Affimer binders to other important immuno-oncology targets for future partnering or development.

-- Very positive pharmacokinetic data obtained in mouse for Affimer XT(TM) half-life extension platform.

-- Continued platform validation and de-risking through completion of a number of in-vitro data packages.

-- Solid progress with partners:
-- Positive outcome of initial trial with Glythera Ltd. leading to a new drug development partnership for Affimer drug conjugates.

-- Research collaboration with FIT Biotech Oy established to demonstrate effectiveness of the combined technologies for gene delivered Affimer therapeutics: data expected shortly.

-- Moderna research collaboration has a natural three-year termination date at the end of May 2018 and the Group anticipates delivering Affimer assets to Moderna for development by that date or under an extension to the agreement.

-- Continuing collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center CAR-T on proof-of-concept study: the Group continues to work to generate Affimer binders to the target of interest.

-- Collaboration established with OncoSec (NASDAQ: ONCS) on innovative gene delivery of therapeutic Affimers: third partnership to explore gene delivery with Affimers reflects significant interest received for this application.

-- Experienced, Boston-based Vice President Therapeutics Business Development appointed.
-- In discussion with multiple pharma and biotech regarding Affimer therapeutics opportunities. Pipeline of opportunities continues to grow across multiple applications.

Affimer Research and Diagnostics Reagents

-- Focus on licensing opportunities for reagents in pharma, biotech, diagnostic and research markets: progress has been made with multiple third-party technology evaluations and we are expecting further licensing deals in 2018.

-- Business development team established in US with personnel on both the east (Philadelphia) and west coasts (San Diego).

-- Very strong growth in public validations of Affimer technology by third parties:
-- Record period for publication of third party peer reviewed scientific papers using Affimers including articles in high quality journals such as Nature, Molecular Cell and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA.

-- Covance presented Affimer data at an international conference and webinar that has helped to generate a number of custom Affimer reagent projects with large pharma.

-- Heptares provided a testimonial for use in business development meetings regarding their experience of using Affimers with GPCRs, an important class of drug target.

-- Substantial progress in generating more applications data packs (affinity separation, immunoassays) and in developing new applications, such as immunohistochemistry, that are important in supporting marketing efforts.

Financial highlights

-- Half year revenues increased 16% to GBP1.5m (GBP1.3m FY17) comprising of GBP0.7m (GBP0.5m FY17) from Avacta Life Sciences and GBP0.8m (GBP0.8m FY17) from Avacta Animal Health.

-- Operating loss GBP4.5m (GBP3.9m FY17), with research and development costs increasing to GBP1.5m (GBP1.3m FY17).

-- Reported loss GBP3.9m (GBP3.4m FY17).
-- Cash balances GBP8.3m (GBP13.2m 31 July 2017).
Post-period highlights

-- Rapid progress made in second therapeutic programme, a LAG-3 inhibitor, such that the Group is confident to leap-frog the planned clinical trials for a PD-L1 inhibitor on its own and, on a similar timescale, aim for first-time-in-human clinical data for a PD-L1/LAG-3 combined therapy - a potentially much more valuable asset.

[danatkins] 24/7/2018 15:15

Early stage in development need more data before big boys get involved. Also new tech which takes time to be accepted. But you now this

[lantanatony] 24/7/2018 15:03

Can anyone please explain why if Affimers are so revolutionary are their sales so poor?

[urigem] 24/7/2018 14:43

SP performance has been shocking though.. Really unloved at the moment

[urigem] 24/7/2018 14:38

Reading through the old RNS's quite like the financial of these for a small Bio - Large NAV and last year/ this year's developments are encouraging. One to watch for certain, gonna keep a holding and monitor

[urigem] 24/7/2018 14:31

Does appear to have a good BOD and chairman is v impressive

[costax1654x] 24/7/2018 13:19

Matd about to fly

[welshshark] 24/7/2018 13:18

Rns is well worth reading,and with £8.3m cash no placing coming soon,bod in @75p.

[dave4545] 24/7/2018 12:28

I find it laughable.

Whatever is the biggest % riser the same names turn up saying it's amazing and the price about to rise another 100-200%

24 hours later all of them have vanished and never post again.

And they still have the nerve to defend themselves and have a go at others.

I've not even read the Rns. I just know you lot, well most of you have probably already sold will certainly be out by this time tomorrow.

[joosepi] 24/7/2018 12:24

Sound Company good RNS ramp unnecessary

[costax1654x] 24/7/2018 12:17

Told you...heaven...buy at 40 sell at 45

[amrishbhim] 24/7/2018 12:13

Who is p/d Dave, they no reason to ramp this one it's RNS, and deramper, missed the early bottom price and want in.

[costax1654x] 24/7/2018 12:06

Goes to 45-50 wait and see

[urigem] 24/7/2018 11:57

I think I'll wait for a bigger pull back to add, ave is a 40.2 so sitting at small loss.

[costax1654x] 24/7/2018 11:54

Yes...it looks like a day traders heaven

[shirley83] 24/7/2018 11:48

Next rise about to begin

[urigem] 24/7/2018 11:36

The text at the bottom of the RNS gives more of an explanation, will let these settle and a a small amount for the portoilio.Interesting The first AfDC to be developed will be an anti-PD-L1 Affimer/I-DASH inhibitor conjugate using Avacta's Affimer PD-L1 inhibitors to target the conjugate to tumours in which PD-L1 is upregulated. The linker between the Affimer and I-DASH inhibitor includes a substrate sequence that is cleaved by an enzyme that is also selectively upregulated in extracellular space of tumours relative to normal tissues in the body - providing a second tumour targeting mechanism. The I-DASH inhibitor is a small molecule drug for which Professor Bachovchin has already generated substantial preclinical and clinical anti-tumour data. In the conjugated form of the AfDC, the I-DASH inhibitor is inert. When released from the linker through cleavage by the enzyme, the I-DASH inhibitor selectively targets tumour associated macrophage causing a major inflammatory event stimulating the patient's immune system to attack the tumour. The effects include potent priming of tumour antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell responses, enhanced trafficking of key effector immunocytes to the tumour, increased levels of dendritic cells and activated NK cells and accelerated expansion of tumour specific T-cells. Like STING agonists (Merck, Aduro, iTeos), Toll-like receptor agonists (Medimmune/AZ, GSK, Pfizer) and other general inducers of innate immune responses, systemic administration of I-DASH inhibitors can cause body-wide activation of innate immune responses (in this case by targeting macrophage throughout the body) and in so doing produce dose-limiting toxicities that can make it difficult to achieve an effective concentration in the tumour. The use of an Affimer targeting PD-L1 serves both as a means to target the super-potent I-DASH inhibitor to the tumour and reduce the systemic toxicity risks, as well as to produce a localized synergistic effect combining pharmacological effects of PD-L1 inhibition and I-DASH inhibition in the tumour.About Avacta Group plc (www.avacta.com)Avacta's principal focus is on its proprietary Affimer(R) technology which is a novel engineered alternative to antibodies that has wide application in Life Sciences for diagnostics, therapeutics and general research and development.Antibodies dominate markets worth in excess of $100bn despite their shortcomings. Affimer technology has been designed to address many of these negative performance issues, principally; the time taken to generate new antibodies, the reliance on an animal's immune response, poor specificity in many cases, and batch to batch variability. Affimer technology is based on a small protein that can be quickly generated to bind with high specificity and affinity to a wide range of protein targets.Avacta has a pre-clinical biotech development programme with an in-house focus on immuno-oncology and bleeding disorders as well as partnered development programmes. Avacta is commercialising non-therapeutic Affimer reagents through licensing to developers of life sciences research tools and diagnostics.About Bach Biosciences LLPBach Biosciences LLP is the mission-driven development company associated with Dr. William Bachovchin's laboratory at Tufts University School of Medicine. Bach Biosciences is accelerating breakthrough discoveries into therapeutics for patients, from its own drug development pipeline or by working in partnership with other life science companies. Bach Biosciences' leadership and development team is highly skilled in translational medicine and pharmaceutical development, having had a number of programs move into clinical development and into the marketplace. The company and its founders have established strategic partnerships with contract research organizations, investors, and pharmaceutical partners to support technology development. Dr. Bachovchin is the inventor on 46 issued US patents, including reach-through patents covering the field of DPP-IV inhibitors for treating diabetes, a $10B market. This patent has been licensed by Merck, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Boehringer Ingelheim. In addition three drugs first designed, synthesized and characterized in Dr. Bachovchin's laboratory at Tufts University School of Medicine have been advanced into human clinical trials.