ImmunoCellular Therapeutics' Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, John Yu, MD, Presents at "Targeting Cancer Stem Cells" Symposium

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. ("ImmunoCellular") (NYSE MKT: IMUC) today announced that the Company's Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, John S. Yu, MD, delivered a presentation highlighting the therapeutic importance of utilizing antigen-specific dendritic cell (DC) cancer vaccines for inducing a potent T-cell response and destroying tumor cells as well as cancer stem cells. Dr. Yu's presentation took place today in a session titled "Dendritic Cell Vaccines Targeting Cancer Stem Cells" at Cambridge Healthtech Institute's Third Annual "Targeting Cancer Stem Cells: New Opportunities for Oncology Therapeutics," which is part of the 21^st Annual Molecular Medicine Tri Conference, in San Francisco. 

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During his presentation, Dr. Yu described ImmunoCellular's proprietary DC-based immunotherapeutic vaccines, which are designed to target both tumor cells and cancer stem cells by utilizing multiple, validated tumor-specific antigens to trigger a powerful antitumor immune system response. Dr. Yu contrasted ImmunoCellular's approach with other cancer vaccine technologies, including tumor lysates, which may only include a small amount of tumor-specific antigens and may induce a weaker antibody-based immune response, and noted by contrast that antigen-specific DC-based vaccines have the potential to mount a T-cell response that may be more robust, efficient and tumor-specific. By way of illustration, in describing the design of ICT-107, the Company's vaccine to treat glioblastoma (GBM), Dr. Yu noted that the six specific antigens in this vaccine have been validated as expressed on GBM cells and having important roles in tumor growth. Dr. Yu observed that patients with GBM whose tumors express these six antigens generally have a poorer clinical prognosis. By enabling DCs to recognize and process specific antigens, a stronger T cell response can be induced with a view to effectively killing cancer cells and cancer stem cells, potentially leading to a superior cancer vaccine.

"The core premise of ImmunoCellular's cancer vaccine approach is that the key to targeting cancer is targeting cancer stem cells for destruction," said Dr. Yu. "Immunologically, the ability to enable dendritic cells to induce a powerful T-cell response requires that they recognize and efficiently process or mount a response to specific antigens on tumors that can lead to effective cancer cell and cancer stem cell death. T cells are the most powerful, and one could argue, the primary weapon in the immune system that can kill tumors, which is why we have designed our cancer vaccines to specifically and selectively trigger their activation."       

About ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. is a Los Angeles area-based clinical-stage company that is developing immune-based therapies for the treatment of brain and other cancers. ImmunoCellular has concluded a phase II trial of its lead product candidate, ICT-107, a dendritic cell-based vaccine targeting multiple tumor-associated antigens for glioblastoma. ImmunoCellular's pipeline also includes ICT-121, a dendritic cell vaccine targeting CD133, and ICT-140, a dendritic cell vaccine targeting ovarian cancer antigens and cancer stem cells. To learn more about ImmunoCellular, please visit www.imuc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements for ImmunoCellular Therapeutics

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the risk that the scientific premises for the Company's approach to cancer vaccines can be shown to be safe and effective and in particular whether ICT-107 can be further successfully developed or commercialized. Additional risks and uncertainties are described in IMUC's most recently filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q and annual report on Form 10-K. Except as permitted by law, IMUC undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.
Investor Relations
Jane Green
415.348.0010 direct
415.652.4819 mobile
[email protected]

SOURCE ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.