OncoQuest Announces Collaboration with TESARO in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Setting

Oregovomab to be Combined with ZEJULA® in a Proof-of-Concept Clinical Study

EDMONTON, Oct. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - OncoQuest Inc. ("OncoQuest"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapeutic products for the treatment of cancer, today announced the signing of a collaborative agreement with TESARO, Inc. ("TESARO") to conduct  a proof-of-concept clinical trial evaluating the combination of oregovomab with ZEJULA^® (niraparib) in the recurrent ovarian cancer setting.

"We are excited to work with TESARO, an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company, to evaluate the possible synergistic effects of combining ZEJULA® with oregovomab in this important clinical setting," stated Dr. Madi Madiyalakan, CEO of OncoQuest.

This will be the third Phase 1/2 clinical study evaluating oregovomab in combination with other drugs in the recurrent ovarian cancer setting.  OncoQuest has two other trials in progress evaluating oregovomab in combination with nivolumab, a checkpoint inhibitor, and Hiltonol®, an investigational TLR3 agonist, respectively.

OncoQuest recently presented positive interim clinical results for oregovomab in combination with standard of care carboplatin paclitaxel chemotherapy in the front line ovarian cancer setting. The final relapse free survival and overall survival data from the Phase 2 study is being compiled and the final clinical study report is expected to be presented to the regulatory authorities in the first half of 2018.

Under the terms of the collaboration, the trial will be sponsored by OncoQuest.  TESARO will provide clinical supplies of niraparib and partial funding in support of the trial. Additional details of the collaboration were not disclosed.  The trial is expected to begin in 2018.

About oregovomab
Oregovomab is OncoQuest's high affinity monoclonal antibody (Mab B43.13) that is designed to bind to the tumor associated antigen CA125 (also designated MUC16) and initiate a cascade of immune responses against this glycoprotein.  CA125 is expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer on the tumor surface, but is also shed into the circulation. OncoQuest believes that carboplatin paclitaxel based chemotherapy used in front line treatment in a precisely scheduled combination with oregovomab can improve outcomes relative to chemotherapy alone and is currently exploring the role of select immune adjuvants and checkpoint inhibition to assess oregovomab's application in advanced disease settings.

About ZEJULA® (niraparib)
ZEJULA® is an oral, once-daily poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) 1/2 inhibitor that is indicated in the U.S. for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) added ZEJULA® to the NCCN Practice Guidelines in Oncology Ovarian Cancer version 1.2017-April 12, 2017-as maintenance therapy for patients with platinum-sensitive disease who are in partial or complete response after completion of two or more lines of platinum-based chemotherapy. In preclinical studies, ZEJULA® concentrates in the tumor relative to plasma, delivering greater than 90% durable inhibition of PARP 1/2 and a persistent antitumor effect.

About OncoQuest
OncoQuest is a subsidiary of Quest PharmaTech Inc. (TSXV-QPT) ("Quest"), and is a private pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapies for cancer. OncoQuest's technology platform includes a panel of tumor antigen specific monoclonal immunoglobulins including CA125, MUC1, PSA and Her2/neu; and the application of combinatorial immunotherapy to enhance tumor specific immunity and clinical outcome. OncoQuest's lead product is oregovomab for the treatment of ovarian cancer that is currently undergoing multiple Phase 2 clinical trials. OncoQuest's MUC1 program has already undergone a Phase 1 clinical trial in breast cancer patients, and its development is being led by OncoVent Co. Ltd., OncoQuest's joint venture partner that has licensed the rights of the immunotherapy technologies in the territory of Greater China. OncoQuest's next-generation products are based on immunoglobulin E licensed from UCLA, Stanford University and Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc. These antigen-specific monoclonal IgE antibodies are currently in preclinical development.  

Forward Looking Statements

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SOURCE Quest PharmaTech Inc.