US grant for study using Imugene's oncolytic virotherapy

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Clinical stage immuno-oncology company Imugene (ASX:IMU) has announced that City of Hope researchers have received a grant from the US Department of Defense Grant related to the use of its technology.

The researchers, Dr Yanghee Woo and Dr Yuman Fong, have received the $564,173 grant titled 'Discovery of Immune Biomarkers That Predict Response to a Novel Chimeric Immuno-Oncolytic Virus Encoding Anti-PD-L1 in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Carcinomatosis' (PC).

City of Hope is a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life -threatening diseases based near Los Angeles.

The grant focuses on the area of stomach (gastric) cancer (GC), a disease that disproportionately affects US military service members, veterans, and their beneficiaries who have increased exposure to hazardous environmental risk factors.

The researchers believe that a combined approach using Imugene’s proposed license for novel oncolytic virus CF33 armed to express an anti-PD-L1 antibody as immune modulator could specifically kill cancer cells, convert the immunologically ‘cold’ environment of PC into a ‘hot’ environment, and enhance the overall efficacy of GC therapy.

According to Imugene CEO, Ms Leslie Chong, “Imugene and City of Hope are committed to help improve the length and quality of life for patients with gastric cancer. We congratulate Dr Yanghee Woo and Dr Yuman Fong on receiving this sizable grant. It is an honour to work with the prestigious and prolific team at City of Hope to expand the development of CF33”.