Data for Tocagen's Toca 511 Presented at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Annual Meeting

SAN DIEGO, May 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Tocagen Inc. today announced multiple scientific contributions at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 17^th Annual Meeting, held May 21 to 24, 2014 at the Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, DC.

At the ASGCT Annual Meeting, data from clinical and preclinical studies of Toca 511 will be presented in two podium presentations:

• Abstract #28, "Interim report from two ongoing ascending dose trials of a retroviral replicating vector (Toca 511) in patients with recurrent high grade glioma," was delivered by Douglas Jolly, Ph.D., in a podium presentation at 4:15 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 during the Cancer-Oncolytic Viruses session.

• Abstract #273, "Toca 511 intravenous study in humans based on uniform distribution of viral spread within the tumor and increased survival in a syngeneic, orthotopic mouse glioma model," will be delivered by Tiffany Huang, Ph.D., in a podium presentation at 5:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 22, 2014 in the Delaware AB room during the Cancer-Targeted Gene and Cell Therapy session.

Douglas Jolly, Ph.D., executive vice president of research and pharmaceutical development at Tocagen, will also participate as a panelist during an ASGCT scientific symposium titled "Things You Wished You'd Known Early on Your way to Late Stage Development" at 10:30 a.m. ET on Friday, May 23, 2014 in the Virginia room.

In addition Toca 511 clinical data will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 50^th Annual Meeting, held May 30 to June 3, 2014 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Tocagen will present a poster titled "Ascending dose trials of a retroviral replicating vector (Toca 511) in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma" from 8 to 11:45 a.m. CDT on Sunday, June 1, 2014 during the Developmental Therapeutics –Immunotherapy poster session.

About Toca 511 & Toca FC

The combination of Toca 511 (vocimagene amiretrorepvec) for injection and Toca FC (flucytosine) extended-release tablets, is being investigated in clinical studies at leading centers across the United States in patients with recurrent high grade glioma, including glioblastoma (GBM). Toca 511 is a retroviral replicating vector (RRV) that is designed to deliver a prodrug activator gene called cytosine deaminase (CD) selectively to cancer cells. After allowing time for Toca 511 to spread through the tumor, those cancer cells expressing the CD gene can convert the antifungal drug flucytosine into the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). By producing 5-FU locally with CD, this technology has the potential to produce much higher intra-tumoral concentrations of 5-FU than can be currently attained with systemic administration. In addition to this initial, direct killing of cancer cells, data suggests a selective, local and systemic anticancer immune response without off-target toxicity, such as autoimmunity. The Toca 511 & Toca FC combination product is being investigated in three ascending dose trials in patients with recurrent high grade glioma.

About Tocagen Inc.

Tocagen Inc. is a privately funded, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company pursuing the discovery, development and commercialization of gene therapy products for the selective treatment of cancer. Tocagen is initially focusing on treatments for patients with advanced cancer for whom no adequate treatments currently exist. Toca 511 & Toca FC, the company's lead investigational combination product, is being evaluated in three clinical trials in patients with recurrent high grade glioma, including glioblastoma (GBM). Tocagen has received grant support from leading brain cancer foundations, including Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2), National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), Musella Foundation and Voices Against Brain Cancer (VABC). For more information about Tocagen or Toca 511 please visit www.tocagen.com or www.clinicaltrials.gov using the identifier NCT01470794, NCT01156584 or NCT01985256.

SOURCE Tocagen Inc.