Therion�s Approach to Immunotherapy Recent research has provided a better understanding of the immune system and the key molecular signals involved in eliciting potent and specific immune responses against pathogens. These advancements also offer insights into how cancer falls below the immune system�s radar to proliferate in the body. Scientists are applying these findings to develop cancer immunotherapies, including vaccines that activate the immune system to recognize and attack cancerous cells. Therion is developing proprietary vaccines using versatile pox virus vectors, representing a promising approach for treating cancer without the significant side effects associated with conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation. Therion�s cancer vaccines are designed to activate tumor-specific killer cells from a patient�s own immune system to target and destroy tumor cells while leaving healthy tissues and cells intact. Therion's Approach Technology Platform Pox Virus Vectors Tumor Antigens & Co-stimulatory Molecules Intellectual Property Therion�s technology and clinical portfolios are protected by more than 70 issued U.S. and foreign patents that are either owned or licensed, including the rights to pox virus vectors and genes employed in its vaccines. The Company also has over 70 patent applications filed worldwide. Cancer Immunotherapy Researchers have long looked for innovative immunotherapies that boost the human immune system�s ability to fight disease. Cancer immunotherapy broadly falls into two categories: passive and active immunotherapy. Passive immunotherapy involves the administration of preformed immune system components, or monoclonal antibodies, to target diseased cells. With the advent of monoclonal antibody drugs, passive immunotherapy has become an important part of anti-cancer treatment regimens, validating immunotherapeutic approaches to treating the disease. Active immunotherapy introduces substances that directly stimulate the body to recognize cancerous cells and specifically attack the cancer. In recent years, both passive and active immunotherapies have gained recognition as new tools in the fight against cancer. Active Immunotherapy Therion believes that active immunotherapy, or the stimulation of the body�s innate immune response, holds even greater promise for cancer treatment than passive immunotherapy. While antibodies are one element of immune defense, researchers now recognize cell-mediated immune responses as critical for tumor destruction. Two types of active immunotherapeutics are currently in development: personalized treatment and off-the-shelf products. Autologous immunotherapeutics are personalized treatments that are produced specific to each patient. These treatments can consist of either tumor or immune system cells that are taken from the patient, modified and processed, and then re-administered to the patient to generate an immune response against the specific cancer. These treatments require controlled, centralized manufacturing procedures, making it difficult to deliver such individualized therapies on a large scale. Generally speaking, allogeneic, or off-the-shelf formulations utilize treatments that are applicable to a broad patient population and can be readily manufactured and distributed. These treatments can consist of killed tumor cells, vectors or subunit proteins to deliver in vivo tumor-associated antigens or other genomic content that signal the immune system to target and attack cancerous cells. Therion is developing off-the-shelf product candidates based on a proprietary set of engineered pox virus vectors that are designed to simultaneously express key therapeutic components capable of directing and enhancing immune system response against cancer. In early clinical studies in prostate and colorectal cancer, Therion�s therapeutic agents have suggested the ability to stabilize disease and increase patient survival. Therion�s Development Capabilities Therion�s unique development approach enables rapid generation and clinical evaluation of multiple product candidates for a variety of disease targets, providing multiple product opportunities. The capacity of Therion�s pox virus vectors allows the Company to incorporate multiple antigens and co-stimulatory molecules into its vaccine candidates. This combination is designed to stimulate the simultaneous in vivo expression of immune system components necessary to stimulate potent and specific immune responses against cancer cells. The Company�s development processes provide the capability to move a vaccine from concept to clinic in 12 months. Therion�s onsite manufacturing facilities have produced over 35,000 doses of proprietary vaccine for use in over 30 clinical trials. Back to the top Copyright © Therion Biologics Corporation.