ILEX Oncology, Inc.

SYDNEY and NEW YORK, Oct. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnGeneIC, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of a First-in-Class targeted nanocell for cancer therapy has today announced the appointment of Dr. Daniel Von Hoff to its Scientific/Clinical Advisory Board to advise EnGeneIC’s on its upcoming trial in metastatic pancreatic cancer. Professor Daniel Von Hoff, M.D. F.A.C.P. FASCO, FAACR is an internationally recognized physician and scientist. He is currently Distinguished Professor at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGEN) in Phoenix, Arizona, and City of Hope and holds the Virginia G Piper Distinguished Chair for Innovative Cancer Research at Honor Health Clinical Research Institute and Professorship of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. “We are very privileged and welcome such an eminent clinician-scientist to our Scientific Advisory Board,” stated Dr. Jennifer MacDiarmid, Joint CEO and Director at EnGeneIC. “Professor Von Hoff’s extensive knowledge and experience in pancreatic cancer along with his clinical trial experience will be very valuable in advising development of our oncology clinical programs.” A pioneer and world leader in translational medicine, Professor Von Hoff’s major interest is in the development of new anticancer agents and has been involved in more than 300 clinical studies. His research at TGEN focuses on the development of therapies for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. He and his colleagues have contributed to the development of many FDA approved pharmaceuticals, including gemcitabine, irinotecan, capecitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and nal-IRI, which are currently used in the treatment for pancreatic cancer. Professor Von Hoff was appointed to President Bush’s National Cancer Advisory Board in 2004-2010. He was also the past President of the American Association for Cancer Research (the world’s largest cancer research organization) and past board member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Professor Von Hoff was the founder of ILEX™ Oncology, a company that had two anti-cancer agents approved by the FDA and acquired by Genzyme. Speaking from Arizona, Professor Von Hoff said, “I appreciate the opportunity to serve with my colleagues on the EnGeneIC Scientific Advisory Board. The company's cyto-immune therapy approach using their EDV nanocell provides a unique mechanism of action against pancreatic and other cancers.” About EnGeneICEnGeneIC is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing its proprietary EDV® (EnGeneIC Dream Vector) nanocell technology for oncology and infectious disease applications. The EDV™ nanocell is the foundation of a first-in-class antibody nanocell drug conjugate platform for delivering a range of therapeutic payloads - drugs, siRNAs, miRNAs, adjuvants – via antibody-targeting a cancer cell’s surface, with minimal toxicity. For cancer applications, the EDV technology enables delivery of the most potent chemotherapeutic agents, effectively overcoming drug-resistance and killing tumor cells, while simultaneously stimulating the patient’s immune system, allowing a potent ant-tumor response. EnGeneIC is now entering Phase IIa clinical trials in Australia and USA in patients with intractable, low survival cancers, including patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. EnGeneIC contact: Dr. Jennifer MacDiarmidJoint-CEO & DirectorEmail: jmacdiarmid@engeneic.com EnGeneIC Pty Ltd,Level 4, B53, 11 Julius Ave,North Ryde, Sydney, NSW 2113Australia.Website: www.engeneic.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2929a830-86af-437f-821a-e221597957dd

HOUSTON--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Diakonos Oncology Corporation (“Diakonos”), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation for the company’s unique dendritic cell vaccine (DCV) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In addition, the company has named to its Scientific Advisory Board, Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., Distinguished Professor at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix, AZ, and City of Hope, and an experienced investigator against pancreatic cancer. “This second FDA Fast Track designation of our autologous dendritic cell vaccines for pancreatic cancer is another acknowledgement of the incredible potential of this innovative immunotherapy for treating the most deadly cancers,” said Mike Wicks, Diakonos CEO. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Von Hoff join us as an advisor as we pursue clinical development of our vaccine in this deadly disease,” Mr. Wicks added. “The first designation was for our lead vaccine for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) which successfully completed dosing for the Phase 1 trial and has significantly improved 12 month survival in those patients to well over what would be expected with the standard of care.” ( See the press release ) Dr. Von Hoff is an internationally recognized physician and scientist whose research has contributed to the development of many anticancer agents that are routinely used in clinical practice. His research at TGEN focuses on development of therapies for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. He also was a founder of ILEX Oncology which was acquired by Genzyme. In addition to his work with TGEN, Dr. Von Hoff holds the Virginia G. Piper Distinguished Chair for Innovative Cancer Research at HonorHealth Clinical Research Institute, and is Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. “Diakonos's unique dendritic cell vaccine has shown encouraging results in treating glioblastoma, a terrible disease with few effective treatments. Pancreatic cancer patients also need additional treatment options,” said Dr. Von Hoff. “I look forward to working with Diakonos to help develop effective treatments for patients with pancreatic cancer with the same targeted technology.” About FDA Fast Track: FDA Fast Track designation is intended to speed development and review of drugs that show early clinical promise in treating severe or life-threatening conditions. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common pancreatic cancer. It is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and the number of cases is growing. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average five-year survival rate is less than 13%, and in 2024 an estimated 51,750 people will die and 66,440 will be newly diagnosed. About Diakonos’ DCV Technology: The company’s DCVs are made with a patient’s dendritic cells and a sample of their tumor. These highly differentiated double-loaded dendritic cell vaccines activate robust cytotoxic T H 1 cell signaling pathways that initiate a natural immune response to target and eliminate cancer cells. This is achieved without any genetic modification of the patient’s immune cells, which greatly simplifies the manufacturing process and significantly reduces costs when compared to leading cell therapy approaches. About Diakonos Oncology Corp. Based in Houston, TX, Diakonos Oncology is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy and focusing on difficult-to-treat indications, including glioblastoma and PDAC. A variant of the DOC1021 treatment platform are also in early-stage clinical testing in angiosarcoma (AS). For more information visit: www.diakonosoncology.com .

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LumaBridge, a clinical research organization (CRO) dedicated to discovering, developing, and testing emerging biotechnologies related to novel cancer therapies, today announced the appointment of Amanda Ferrier as Chief Operating Officer. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Amanda Ferrier Joins LumaBridge as Chief Operating Officer (Photo: Business Wire) Ms. Ferrier brings over 20 years of clinical operations experience in oncology to LumaBridge. Her clinical operations expertise comes from both CROs and sponsor companies including Ilex Oncology; ArQule, Inc.; ICON; Ockham Oncology; PPD; CinRx/MedPace and most recently, ORA, Inc. She holds a B.S. in Nursing from The University of Texas – Health Science Center, a B.S. in Zoology/Biology from Texas A&M, and she is completing coursework for her M.B.A. from Suffolk University. "Amanda is a great addition to the LumaBridge team as we continue to grow our oncology focused CRO," said David Boyle, Chief Executive Officer of LumaBridge. "Her background as a registered nurse and in clinical operations, leadership and project management experience are all an excellent fit for our path forward.” “I am thrilled to be joining the LumaBridge team. The company has a strong scientific foundation and an extremely talented management team that uniquely positions LumaBridge within the CRO environment,” said Amanda Ferrier. “As an RN and patient advocate, the opportunity to help accelerate the drug development process and identify better, more efficacious drugs for the global oncology patient population is incredibly exciting. This focus is top of mind for our team as LumaBridge moves to the next level in organizational growth.” Ms. Ferrier succeeds current COO, Lori McDermott, who will remain with LumaBridge during a transition period. “We want to thank Lori McDermott for her leadership role in helping to develop LumaBridge, our culture of high performing teams, and our focus on high-quality service to our sponsors,” said Dr. George Peoples, Founder and Executive Chairman. “We are confident that Amanda will build on this work, bringing energy, professionalism and experience to the company’s next phase of growth.” About LumaBridge LumaBridge is a specialty clinical research organization (CRO) focused on creating innovative clinical trial solutions for biopharma companies. Founded in 2014 as Cancer Insight, the company offers customized clinical trial guidance, strategic partnership, and personalized attention to each sponsor, accelerating the development of potential therapies. LumaBridge builds on the success and experience of a seasoned team, led by Dr. George Peoples, to support drug development, accelerating therapies to patients, and guiding biopharma companies through clinical and regulatory pathways. As part of their comprehensive CRO services, LumaBridge offers consultation on trial design and clinical development strategy. For more information, visit lumabridge.com.