Gliknik Announces Interim Clinical Data From Use Of Its Immunomodulator Drug Candidate In Multiple Myeloma Patients

BALTIMORE, Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Gliknik Inc., a privately held biopharmaceuticals company, today announced that researchers from University of Pennsylvania and University of Maryland presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting interim clinical data from a study that included treatment of high-risk multiple myeloma patients with Gliknik's MAGE-A3 immunomodulator, GL-0817.  GL-0817 is in ongoing Phase II clinical studies in both multiple myeloma and head and neck cancer.

Researchers shared the results on December 10, 2012, via an oral presentation entitled "Combination Immunotherapy After ASCT for Multiple Myeloma Using MAGE-A3/Poly-ICLC Immunizations Followed by Vaccine-Primed and Activated Autologous T-Cells." Based on the interim analysis, researchers saw a 180-day rate of complete or partial response of 96 percent. Interventions in the clinical study include Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (ASCT), Gliknik's GL-0817, and T-cell transplant with adjuvants GM-CSF, montanide (Seppic), and Poly ICLC (Hiltonol, Oncovir).  Researchers reported robust antigen-specific T-cell responses as well as robust antibody responses in patients who received montanide. The abstract for the presentation is available at https://ash.confex.com/ash/2012/webprogram/Paper53391.html.

Carl H. June, M.D., Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, stated, "These data are intriguing, especially when compared to the results from our previous trials.  The robust clinical and immunologic responses to date suggest that the combination of therapies may be beneficial for patients with recurrent or high-risk multiple myeloma. A larger study combining GL-0817, adjuvants, primed T-cell therapy, and ASCT may be warranted."

"In the challenging population of recurrent, high-risk multiple myeloma patients, clinical responses were encouraging," said Aaron P. Rapoport, M.D., Gary Jobson Professor in Medical Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine and Director of Lymphoma Gene Medicine, Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center. "Significant immune cell responses against GL-0817 were also seen. It will be important to continue to follow the patients to monitor their future progress."

About Gliknik's Immunomodulator Platform
The immunomodulator platform is Gliknik's most clinically advanced program with compounds currently in multiple-dose studies in patients with advanced cancers, including multiple myeloma and head and neck cancers. Gliknik immunomodulators are designed to train the immune system to target tumor cells bearing MAGE-A3 and HPV16 epitopes respectively.

About Gliknik Inc.
Founded in 2007, Gliknik is a biopharmaceuticals company creating new therapies for patients with cancer and immune disorders. Gliknik expertise is in modulation of the immune system to fight disease. In addition to the stradomer^TM program for autoimmune diseases, Gliknik also has commercial rights to two cancer immunomodulator drugs that are in multiple-dose clinical trials in patients with advanced head and neck cancer and in patients with advanced multiple myeloma. Learn more at www.gliknik.com.

SOURCE Gliknik Inc.