Greater than Expected Responses to Salvage Chemotherapy Observed Following Treatment with Algenpantucel-L in Pancreatic Cancer and Tergenpumatucel-L in NSCLC: Data Presented at the 2013 European Cancer Congress

Ames, IA - (Accesswire - September 30, 2013) - NewLink Genetics Corporation (NLNK), an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company specializing in immunotherapy, today announced the presentation of data on its lead HyperAcute cancer immunotherapy product candidates at the 2013 European Cancer Congress (ESMO) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. NewLink researchers presented data showing greater than expected responses to salvage chemotherapy following treatment with both algenpantucel-L in patients with pancreatic cancer and tergenpumatucel-L in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The clinical benefit of chemo-sensitization is being further investigated in a larger number of patients by assessing objective tumor responses to follow-on chemotherapy after HyperAcute immunotherapy in ongoing clinical trials.

"These data indicate that pretreatment with HyperAcute immunotherapy such as algenpantucel-L or tergenpumatucel-L prior to salvage chemotherapy has the potential to increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy that may lead to durable objective and complete responses, commented Nick Vahanian MD, President and Chief Medical Officer of NewLink. In addition, the immunologic responses further support the mechanism for HyperAcute immunotherapy to stimulate the patients immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells."

In a poster presentation entitled "Chemo-sensitization and immunological reactions to hyperacute immunotherapy, a novel approach to cancer treatment," NewLink researchers presented clinical data showing:

Greater than expected responses to follow-on chemotherapy after treatment with algenpantucel-L or tergenpumatucel-L HyperAcute immunotherapy.

- Three pancreatic cancer patients were followed for response to subsequent salvage chemotherapy treatment after progressing on algenpantucel-L therapy. All three patients experienced durable (12-36 months), complete responses.

- Sixteen NSCLC patients were followed for response to subsequent salvage chemotherapy treatment (list) after progressing on tergenpumatucel-L therapy. Five of the sixteen (31%) achieved partial responses and four of the sixteen (25%) achieved stable disease.

- Immunologic responses, which correlated with improved survival, were observed with both algenpantucel-L and tergenpumatucel-L indicating the ability of HyperAcute immunotherapy to elicit anti-cancer immune responses.

About HyperAcute Immunotherapy

NewLinks HyperAcute immunotherapy platform creates novel biologic products that are designed to stimulate the human immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. HyperAcute product candidates are composed of human cancer cells that are tumor specific, but not patient specific. These cells have been modified to express alpha-gal, a carbohydrate for which humans have pre-existing immunity. These alpha-gal-modified cells stimulate a rapid and powerful human immune response that trains the bodys natural defenses to seek out and destroy cancer cells. The objective of HyperAcute immunotherapies is to elicit an antitumor response by "educating" the immune system to attack a patients own cancer cells. HyperAcute immunotherapies do not require any tissue from individual patients and use intact whole cells rather than cell fragments or purified proteins. We believe these unique properties of HyperAcute products result in the stimulation of a robust immune response.

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NewLink Genetics Presents Data Demonstrating Potential Chemo-sensitization Activity of its HyperAcute™ Cancer ...

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