Scancell upbeat on publication of AvidiMab research

Cancer immunotherapy developer Scancell Holdings noted the publication of its manuscript in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) on Friday, titled ‘Engineering the human Fc-region enables direct cell killing by cancer glycan-targeting antibodies without the need for immune effector cells or complement’.

The AIM-traded firm said the paper described how its ‘AvidiMab’ modifications to the constant region (Fc) of any antibody could improve avidity, or strength of interaction, between the antibody and its target antigen, thus improving the antibody's potential therapeutic properties.

It said that same modification also demonstrated that Scancell's own tumour-associated glycan (TaG) antibodies could directly kill tumour cells.

In recent years, antibodies had become the best-selling drugs in the pharmaceutical market, and were approved for treating various human diseases, including many cancers, autoimmune, metabolic and infectious diseases.

The global therapeutic monoclonal antibody market was estimated to be worth $150bn (£118.84bn) in 2019, and predicted to grow to $300bn by 2025.

Its board said the ability to increase the potential therapeutic properties of any antibody would thus be seen as highly advantageous.

Scancell said it had used its AvidiMab technology to increase the avidity of its TaG antibodies, with those currently being evaluated for the treatment of cancer.

They were also being developed as antibody-drug conjugates (ADC).

“Our AvidiMab technology increases the avidity of human antibodies by promoting non-covalent Fc-Fc interactions,” said chief scientific officer Lindy Durrant.

“This modification also causes direct killing of cancer cells by our glycan targeting antibodies, and therefore we believe this technology has the ability to create superior candidates for cancer immunotherapy.”

At 1243 BST, shares in Scancell Holdings were up 1.67% at 6.1p.