Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Announces $3.75 Million in Financing

Receives Emerging Technology Fund Award from the State of Texas in the

Amount of $1.45 Million as well as $2.3 Million in Seed Funding

    HOUSTON, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today
 announced it was awarded $1.45 Million by the State of Texas' Emerging
 Technology Fund. Additionally, the company announced seed financing of $2.3
 million. The combined investment will be used for development of the
 company's lead product candidate, BP-GMAX-CD1 for patients with advanced,
 androgen independent prostate cancer. The financing will allow the
 completion of preclinical development and initiation of a Phase 1/2
 clinical trial.
     Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is focused on the development of next
 generation therapeutic vaccines and other immunotherapeutic approaches for
 the treatment of cancer. Bellicum's BP-GMAX-CD1 lead product candidate is a
 novel dendritic cell vaccine for the treatment of prostate cancer. This
 vaccine incorporates a drug-activated CD40 gene, which acts as a
 pharmacologically regulated switch to boost the potency and enhance the
 durability of the anti- cancer immune response (see, Hanks, et al, Nature
 Medicine 2005, 11:130).
     "We are honored to receive this award from the Emerging Technology
 Fund," stated CEO Tom Farrell. "It's a testament to the strength of our
 science and the potential of the company to have a meaningful impact on the
 lives of cancer patients. The State's financial support, together with the
 seed capital provided by local angel investors, allows us to advance our
 lead product into the clinic, where we have a near-term opportunity to
 demonstrate human proof of concept."
     The Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF) is a $200 million initiative
 created by the Texas Legislature in 2005 at the Governor's request. A 17-
 member advisory committee of high-tech leaders, entrepreneurs and research
 experts reviews potential TETF projects and recommends funding for projects
 to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House. To date, the
 TETF has allocated $76.8 million in grant funds to Texas companies and
 universities. For more information on the TETF, please visit
 www.emergingtechfund.com.
     Kevin Slawin, M.D., Bellicum Founder and Director of the Vanguard
 Urologic Institute and the Texas Prostate Center, and Director of Urology
 at Memorial Hermann Hospital - TMC, has dedicated his career to battling
 the significant problem of prostate cancer that men face. "I'm excited to
 see our hard work reaching this important milestone and poised to begin
 testing in advanced prostate cancer patients here in Houston in the New
 Year", Slawin commented. "While vaccines currently in development by others
 are extremely well tolerated, their efficacy has been marginal at best.
 BP-GMAX-CD1 eliminates the shortcomings of these other approaches, and if
 it works for prostate cancer patients, we will have a platform that can be
 adapted to target any type of cancer."
     About Bellicum Pharmaceuticals
     Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is focused on the development of next
 generation therapeutic vaccines and other immunotherapeutic approaches for
 the treatment of cancer. Founded in July 2004 by Professors Kevin M.
 Slawin, M.D. and David M. Spencer, Ph.D., the company is developing
 clinical products based on novel and powerful vaccine strategies developed
 at Baylor College of Medicine. The company's lead product, BP-GMAX-CD1, a
 genetically modified, pharmacologically regulated autologous vaccine, is in
 late stage preclinical development for patients with advanced, androgen
 independent prostate cancer. BP-GMAX-CD1 and follow-on product candidates
 have been successfully tested in mouse models and human dendritic cells.
 The company owns or has in-licensed certain key technologies, and Chief
 Executive Officer Thomas J. Farrell has assembled a team of seasoned
 clinical, regulatory, quality and CMC consultants to advance product
 candidates into human clinical trials. Bellicum is a client of the Houston
 Technology Center. For more information, visit www.bellicum.com
 
 

SOURCE Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.