USC Keck School of Medicine's Dr. Alan Epstein Receives Prestigious National Cancer Institute RAID Award for Breakthrough IL-2 Molecule T...(mited by its significant toxicity and re...),Health

Date:7/7/2009

mited by its significant toxicity and resulting side effects, especially that of capillary leak syndrome where leakage of fluid from the blood results in dangerously low blood pressure (hypotension), edema and multiple organ failure. Capillary leak syndrome affects as many as 65% of patients and can lead to the cessation of therapy.

Dr. Epstein has developed an IL-2 analog that eliminates the side effect of capillary leak syndrome while retaining the cytokine and therapeutic activity of IL-2. His extensive pre-clinical data indicates that this IL-2 analog will allow more clinically effective doses to be administered, resulting in significantly improved disease control with fewer complications.

"We believe the full potential of IL-2 has yet to be realized because of its limiting toxicity. This discovery could mean an exponentially improved success rate for cancer therapies," said Alan Epstein. "I am thrilled NCI saw the priority value of this therapeutic and awarded RAID assistance to help propel the manufacturing of this novel molecule toward Phase 1 clinical trials."

"We are in the midst of a biomedical revolution. New technologies promise to reshape medicine - with novel applications in new therapies, drug delivery, and patient care," said Dr. Richard Hull, Senior Director of Innovation Advancement and Business Development for the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation. "The work and success of Dr. Epstein is a great example of how USC is focused on translating top-notch laboratory research into breakthrough clinical applications that save lives and improve healthcare."

Pivotal BioSciences, Inc., a privately-held Los Angeles-based biotechnology company developing innovative low toxicity therapies for cancer, has licensed the molecule from USC. The technology is covered under U.S. Patent #7371371 issued on May 13, 2008 titled, "Interleukin-2 Mutants with Reduce
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