Ocugen Secures Manufacturing Partnership for US Production of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, COVAXIN™

Jubilant HollisterStier to manufacture COVAXIN™ in the US

MALVERN, Pa., June 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ocugen, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCGN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing gene therapies to cure blindness diseases and developing a vaccine to save lives from COVID-19, today announced that it has selected Jubilant HollisterStier of Spokane, Washington as its manufacturing partner for COVAXIN™ to prepare for potential commercial manufacturing of COVAXIN™ for the US and Canadian markets.

“We are fully committed to bringing COVAXIN to the US and Canadian markets because we believe it has the potential to save lives by adding a weapon to the arsenal in the fight against emerging variants,” said J.P. Gabriel, Ocugen’s Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and Supply Chain. “Securing US-based manufacturing capability is a critical step as we prepare to submit our regulatory submissions to the FDA and Health Canada. Based on Bharat Biotech’s strong track record of developing and commercializing vaccines globally and Jubilant’s proven track record in manufacturing, we are well-prepared to transition US manufacturing of COVAXIN to our new partner.”

“We are excited to expand our basket of vaccine products and meet the increasing demand from our customers for COVID-19 vaccines in the US,” said Amit Arora, President Jubilant HollisterStier.

“We are pleased to partner with Ocugen and support the ongoing fight against COVID-19. With two facilities in North America working to manufacture multiple COVID-19 vaccines and therapies, we remain committed to supporting efforts to eradicate this global pandemic,” stated Pramod Yadav, CEO Jubilant Pharma Limited.

About COVAXIN™

COVAXIN™, India’s COVID-19 vaccine by Bharat Biotech, is developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) – National Institute of Virology (NIV). COVAXIN™ is a highly purified and inactivated vaccine that is manufactured using a vero cell manufacturing platform. This platform has an excellent safety track record of more than 300 million doses of various vaccines supplied. Based on a traditional vaccine platform that has a long-established safety profile, COVAXIN™ continues to show strong results in all the studies conducted to date including a vaccine efficacy rate of 78% overall efficacy and 100% in severe COVID-19 disease, including hospitalizations, in second interim results of Bharat Biotech’s Phase 3 clinical trial.

In addition to generating strong immune response against multiple antigens, COVAXIN has been shown to generate memory T cell responses, for its multiple epitopes, indicating longevity and a rapid antibody response to future infections. With published data demonstrating a safety profile superior to published safety data from separate studies for several other vaccines, COVAXIN is packaged in multi-dose vials that can be stored at 2-8?C.

COVAXIN studies show potential effectiveness against three key variants of SARS-CoV-2. Scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology, using an in-vitro plaque reduction neutralization assay, have found that COVAXIN-vaccinated sera effectively neutralized the Brazil variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.128.2, the alpha variant, B.1.1.7, which was first identified in the United Kingdom, as well as the delta variant, B.1.617, which was first identified in India. These studies suggest that COVAXIN vaccination may be effective against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Based on the more than 30 million doses supplied in India and other countries, COVAXIN has an excellent safety record. COVAXIN is currently being administered under emergency use authorizations in 13 countries, and applications for emergency use authorization are pending in more than 60 additional countries.

About Ocugen, Inc.

Ocugen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing gene therapies to cure blindness diseases and developing a vaccine to save lives from COVID-19. Our breakthrough modifier gene therapy platform has the potential to treat multiple retinal diseases with one drug – “one to many” and our novel biologic product candidate aims to offer better therapy to patients with underserved diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy. We are co-developing Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN™ vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in the U.S. and Canadian markets. For more information, please visit www.ocugen.com.

About Jubilant HollisterStier

Jubilant HollisterStier, a part of Jubilant Pharma Limited, is a leading integrated contract manufacturer of sterile injectables, ophthalmics, otics, sterile and non-sterile topicals and liquids. With facilities in North America, Jubilant HollisterStier provides specialized manufacturing for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Services include a full-range of support to streamline the manufacturing process, from process qualifications through commercial release.

About Jubilant Pharma Limited

Jubilant Pharma Limited (JPL), a company incorporated under the laws of Singapore and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jubilant Pharmova Limited, is an integrated global pharmaceutical company engaged in manufacturing and supply of APIs, Solid Dosage Formulations, Radiopharmaceuticals, Allergy Therapy Products and Contract Manufacturing of Sterile Injectables and Non Sterile products through six US FDA approved manufacturing facilities in the US, Canada and India and a network of 48 radiopharmacies in the US. The Company has a team of around 5,200 multicultural people across the globe and is committed to deliver value to its customers spread across over 75 countries. It is well recognized as a ‘Partner of Choice’ by leading pharmaceutical companies globally.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include information about qualitative assessments of available data, potential benefits, expectations for clinical trials, and anticipated timing of clinical trial readouts and regulatory submissions. This information involves risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as risks associated with preliminary and interim data (including the interim data from Bharat Biotech’s Phase 3 trial in India), including the possibility of unfavorable new clinical trial data and further analyses of existing clinical trial data; the risk that the results of in-vitro studies will not be duplicated in human clinical trials; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments, including during the peer review/publication process, in the scientific community generally, and by regulatory authorities; whether and when data from Bharat Biotech’s clinical trials will be published in scientific journal publications and, if so, when and with what modifications; whether we will be able to provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with sufficient additional information regarding the design of and results from preclinical and clinical studies of COVAXIN, which have been conducted by Bharat Biotech in India in order for those trials to support a biologics license application (BLA), the size, scope, timing and outcome of any additional trials or studies that we may be required to conduct to support a BLA; any additional chemistry, manufacturing and controls information that we may be required to submit the timing of our BLA filing; whether and when an application for authorization under interim order for emergency use will be filed in Canada; whether and when any such applications may be approved by Health Canada; whether developments with respect to COVID-19 pandemic will affect the regulatory pathway available for vaccines in the United States, Canada or other jurisdictions; market demand for COVAXIN in the United States or Canada; decisions by the FDA or Health Canada impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of COVAXIN in the United States or Canada, including development of products or therapies by other companies. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the quarterly and annual reports that we file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

 

Ocugen Contact:

Ocugen, Inc.

Sanjay Subramanian

CFO and Head of Corp. Dev.

[email protected]

 

Media Contact:

LaVoieHealthScience

Lisa DeScenza

[email protected]

+1 9783955970

Helius Medical Technologies, Inc. Expands Executive Leadership Team with the Appointment of Dane C. Andreeff as President and Chief Executive Officer and Jeffrey S. Mathiesen as Chief Financial Officer

 

NEWTOWN, Pa., June 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Helius Medical Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:HSDT) (TSX:HSM) (“Helius” or the “Company”), a neurotech company focused on neurological wellness, today announced that Dane C. Andreeff and Jeffrey S. Mathiesen have been appointed to the respective positions of President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, effective June 14, 2021. Joyce LaViscount will continue to serve as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer.

Mr. Andreeff has served as Helius’ Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since August 2020 and as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since August 2017. Mr. Mathiesen served as a member of Helius’ Board of Directors and Chair of the Company’s Audit Committee from June 2020 to June 2021.

“After significant evaluation and deliberation, my fellow board members and I are very pleased to announce the appointment of Dane and Jeff to the executive leadership team,” said Blane Walter, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Helius. “Dane and Jeff possess an important combination of strong leadership skills and extensive experience in managing companies and guiding their strategic development, making them ideal candidates to lead Helius as we enter the next stage of growth and development as an organization.”

Mr. Walter continued: “In addition to these qualities, Dane and Jeff are highly skilled financial executives with more than 20 years of senior-level financial leadership experience, are well-versed in our business and its strategic priorities, and have demonstrated their strategic expertise and insight through their prior roles at Helius. We look forward to their future contributions as members of our executive leadership team.”

“As a strong believer in both the PoNS^TM technology and its ability to improve the lives of patients, as well as the capabilities and commitment of our organization to facilitating its availability and adoption, I am excited to assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer,” said Mr. Andreeff. “Looking ahead, I remain committed to building upon the recent progress made during the last year, and delivering strong, strategic and operational execution for the benefit of patients, providers, payors, and shareholders.”

“It is a great pleasure to join the Helius executive leadership team at such an exciting and important point in the Company’s history,” said Mr. Mathiesen. “I look forward to contributing to Helius’ success as we position the Company for growth during this crucial next phase.”

About Dane C. Andreeff

Mr. Andreeff served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Helius since August 2020, and serves as the General Partner and Portfolio Manager at Maple Leaf Partners, LP, which owns approximately 5% of Helius’ outstanding Class A common stock. Maple Leaf Partners, LP is a hedge fund founded by Mr. Andreeff, where he has been employed since 1996. In 2003, the fund was seeded by Julian Robertson’s Tiger Management and later grew to over $2 billion in assets under management.

Mr. Andreeff has served as a member of the Board of Directors of HDL Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held medical technology and device company focused on infusing plasma with pre?-HDL for the treatment of multiple cardiovascular indications, since 2012, and Myocardial Solutions, Ltd., a privately held medical technology company with an FDA-cleared cardiac MRI software known as MyoStrain® that provides a 10-minute test for detecting heart dysfunction in multiple cardiovascular indications – including cardiotoxicity in cancer treatment, since 2016.

Mr. Andreeff received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1989 and his Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1991.

About Jeffrey S. Mathiesen, CPA

Mr. Mathiesen has nearly 30 years of experience as Chief Financial Officer of growth oriented, technology-based companies across a wide range of industries including biopharmaceutical and medical device companies. His experience includes three initial public offerings on Nasdaq, new product launches and multiple M&A transactions. Mr. Mathiesen previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Gemphire Therapeutics Inc., a publicly traded, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and as Chief Financial Officer of Sunshine Heart, Inc., a publicly traded, early-stage medical device company.

Mr. Mathiesen currently serves as Director and Audit Committee Chair of NeuroOne Medical Technologies Corporation, a publicly-traded medical technology company providing neuromodulation continuous EEG monitoring and treatment solutions for patients suffering from epilepsy and other nerve related disorders, and as Lead Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair of Panbela Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly-traded, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for pancreatic diseases.

Mr. Mathiesen began his career at Deloitte & Touche LLP in 1983. He received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of South Dakota and is also a Certified Public Accountant.

About Helius Medical Technologies, Inc.

Helius Medical Technologies is a neurotech company focused on neurological wellness. The Company’s purpose is to develop, license and acquire unique and non-invasive platform technologies that amplify the brain’s ability to heal itself. The Company’s first commercial product is the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS^TM). For more information, visit www.heliusmedical.com.

About the PoNS™ Device and PoNS Treatment™

The Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS^TM) is an innovative non-surgical device, inclusive of a controller and mouthpiece, which delivers electrical stimulation to the surface of the tongue to provide treatment of gait deficit. The PoNS device is indicated for use in the United States as a short term treatment of gait deficit due to mild-to-moderate symptoms from multiple sclerosis (“MS”) and is to be used as an adjunct to a supervised therapeutic exercise program in patients 22 years of age and over by prescription only. It is authorized for sale in Canada as a class II, non-implantable, medical device intended as a short term treatment (14 weeks) of gait deficit due to mild and moderate symptoms from MS, and chronic balance deficit due to mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (“mmTBI”) and is to be used in conjunction with physical therapy. PoNS is an investigational medical device in the European Union (“EU”) and Australia (“AUS”). It is currently under premarket review by the AUS Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Investor Relations Contact:

Westwicke on behalf of Helius Medical Technologies, Inc.
Jack Powell, Vice President
[email protected]

Cautionary Disclaimer Statement: 

Certain statements in this news release are not based on historical facts and constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “believe,” “continue,” “looking ahead,” “will,” “committed to,” “goal,” “expect,” “remain,” “hope” and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the Company’s future strategic and operational execution, the next phase of the Company’s market development activities, clinical and regulatory development plans for the PoNS device, and the timing and success of the Company’s commercialization efforts in the United States.

These statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include uncertainties regarding the Company’s capital requirements to achieve its business objectives, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company’s ability to train physical therapists in the supervision of the use of the PoNS Treatment, the Company’s ability to secure contracts with rehabilitation clinics, the Company’s ability to obtain national Medicare coverage and to obtain a reimbursement code so that the PoNS device is covered by Medicare and Medicaid, the Company’s ability to build internal commercial infrastructure, market awareness of the PoNS device, future clinical trials and the clinical development process, manufacturing and supply chain risks, potential changes to the MCIT program, the product development process and FDA regulatory submission review and approval process, other development activities, ongoing government regulation, and other risks detailed from time to time in the “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 and its other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian securities regulators, which can be obtained from either at www.sec.gov or www.sedar.com.The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such statements except to the extent required by law.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

PDS Biotech Prices Public Offering of Common Stock

 

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., June 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PDS Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: PDSB) (“PDS Biotech” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing novel cancer therapies based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune^® T-cell activating technology, today announced the pricing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 5,294,118 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $8.50 per share. The gross proceeds to PDS Biotech, before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $45.0 million. All of the shares of common stock to be sold in the offering are being offered by PDS Biotech. PDS Biotech has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 794,117 shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is expected to close on or about June 17, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. is acting as sole bookrunner for the offering.

PDS Biotech intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering for the development of our clinical pipeline and for general corporate purposes including working capital.

A shelf registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the public offering of the shares of common stock described above was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and became effective on July 31, 2020. A preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering has been filed with the SEC. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus may be obtained from Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., 499 Park Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attn: Capital Markets Department, or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

About PDS Biotechnology

PDS Biotech is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a growing pipeline of cancer immunotherapies based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune^® T-cell activating technology platform. Our Versamune^®-based products overcome the limitations of current immunotherapy by inducing in vivo, large quantities of high-quality, highly potent polyfunctional tumor specific CD4+ helper and CD8+ killer T-cells. PDS Biotech has developed multiple therapies, based on combinations of Versamune^® and disease-specific antigens, designed to train the immune system to better recognize diseased cells and effectively attack and destroy them. Our immuno-oncology product candidates are initially being studied in combination therapy to potentially enhance efficacy without compounding toxicity across a range of cancer types. The Company’s lead investigational cancer immunotherapy product PDS0101 is currently in Phase 2 clinical studies in HPV-associated cancers. The Company’s pipeline products address various cancers including breast, colon, lung, prostate and ovarian cancers.

Forward Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended) concerning PDS Biotech and other matters. These statements may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the Company’s management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “forecast,” “guidance”, “outlook” and other similar expressions among others. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the Company’s ability to complete the contemplated offering; the Company’s anticipated capital requirements; and other factors, including legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments not within the Company’s control, including unforeseen circumstances or other disruptions to normal business operations arising from or related to COVID-19. The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in the Company’s annual and periodic reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media & Investor Relations Contact:

Deanne Randolph
PDS Biotech
Phone: +1 (908) 517-3613
Email: [email protected]

Rich Cockrell
CG Capital
Phone: +1 (404) 736-3838
Email: [email protected]

PDS Biotech Announces Proposed Offering of Common Stock

 

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., June 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PDS Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: PDSB) (“PDS Biotech” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing novel cancer therapies based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune^® T-cell activating technology, today announced that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of shares of its common stock. All of the shares of common stock to be sold in the offering will be offered by PDS Biotech. PDS Biotech intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the shares of common stock offered in the public offering. The offering is subject to market conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering.

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. is acting as sole bookrunner for the offering.

PDS Biotech intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering for the development of our clinical pipeline and for general corporate purposes including working capital.

A shelf registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the public offering of the shares of common stock described above was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and became effective on July 31, 2020. A preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering has been filed with the SEC. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus may be obtained from Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., 499 Park Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attn: Capital Markets Department, or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

About PDS Biotechnology

PDS Biotech is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a growing pipeline of cancer immunotherapies based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune^® T-cell activating technology platform. Our Versamune^®-based products overcome the limitations of current immunotherapy by inducing in vivo, large quantities of high-quality, highly potent polyfunctional tumor specific CD4+ helper and CD8+ killer T-cells. PDS Biotech has developed multiple therapies, based on combinations of Versamune^® and disease-specific antigens, designed to train the immune system to better recognize diseased cells and effectively attack and destroy them. Our immuno-oncology product candidates are initially being studied in combination therapy to potentially enhance efficacy without compounding toxicity across a range of cancer types. The Company’s lead investigational cancer immunotherapy product PDS0101 is currently in Phase 2 clinical studies in HPV-associated cancers. The Company’s pipeline products address various cancers including breast, colon, lung, prostate and ovarian cancers.

Forward Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended) concerning PDS Biotech and other matters. These statements may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the Company’s management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “forecast,” “guidance”, “outlook” and other similar expressions among others. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the Company’s ability to complete the contemplated offering; the Company’s anticipated capital requirements; and other factors, including legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments not within the Company’s control, including unforeseen circumstances or other disruptions to normal business operations arising from or related to COVID-19. The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in the Company’s annual and periodic reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media & Investor Relations Contact:

Deanne Randolph
PDS Biotech
Phone: +1 (908) 517-3613
Email: [email protected]

Rich Cockrell
CG Capital
Phone: +1 (404) 736-3838
Email: [email protected]

Advancing Research into Alzheimer’s Disease with Stem Cells

 

Disease Burden of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, a progressively debilitating neurodegenerative disease that results in declining cognitive functions, inability to form new memories, behavioral disorders, and gradual loss of bodily functions. While older age does not cause AD, the risk of AD doubles about every five years beyond age 65¹. The World Health Organization estimates that about 50 million people living with dementia globally. In 2050, the number is expected to increase to 152 million². In the U.S., a total of 122,019 recorded deaths were due to AD (2018), making it the 6^th leading cause of death among adults in the country³. Hence, AD has a significant disease burden worldwide. Currently, the economic burden of AD is estimated to be $305 billion⁴. To date, there is no cure for dementia or AD.

 

Neuropathological Features and Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease

One of the key neuropathological features of AD is the presence of brain lesions consisting of amyloid plaques. It is caused by the pathological extracellular accumulation and deposition of amyloid-beta peptide (amyloid-beta)⁵. Although the exact function of amyloid-beta is largely unclear, there have been some speculations regarding its physiological roles in the body⁶. Regardless, targeting amyloid-beta production and accumulation remains to be an attractive therapeutic solution to treat AD^7,8. Other hallmarks of AD include the presence of neurofibrillary tangles and hyperphosphorylated tau in brain tissues.

AD is a complex, multifactorial disease caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors⁹. It can be broadly classified into two types – sporadic (SAD) and familial (FAD) AD. SAD and FAD are typically late-onset and early-onset respectively
¹⁰. FAD is rare and is caused by genetic mutations (such as in the Amyloid Precursor Protein [APP] gene); environmental factors play small roles in contributing to the disease. On the other hand, several genes are associated with SAD but environmental factors are also observed to contribute to the disease
⁹. 

 

Lack of Suitable Platforms to Study AD

Over the past decade, researchers have adopted different systems to study AD. Post-mortem brain tissue samples from individuals with AD have been crucial in identifying and better understanding the physical and molecular changes of the brain caused by the disease. Cultured human and mouse cells have also been useful in understanding amyloid-beta accumulation and plaque formation but these cells are usually transformed to allow cells to remain proliferative; therefore they are not physiologically relevant and are unsuitable to study age-related aspects of AD. Also, it is difficult to grow and culture human neurons in the lab. Therefore, researchers looked to using transgenic mice to model AD. There have been some successes in generating FAD mice by overexpressing APP¹¹. These mice were able to show age-related formation of amyloid-beta plaques, learning problems, and neuronal synapse loss. Today, there are more mice models that mimic various AD pathologies¹¹. However, these mice are still unable to reflect the full complexity of the neurodegeneration process associated with AD¹². The unfortunate reality is exemplified by the fact that clinical trials for AD drug development have a failure rate of 99.6%¹³.

 

Making Diseased Neurons in the Lab to Better Understand Disease Pathogenesis

 

The discovery of the Nobel Prize-winning iPSC technology
^14,15 has advanced AD research by miles. There are many successes in using iPSCs to model and study both SAD and FAD in the lab^16,17. Researchers have generated stem cell-derived neurons, microglia, astrocytes, and even 3D brain organoids that exhibited disease phenotypes. Because iPSCs are self-renewal and highly proliferative, we now have unlimited resources to study the disease pathogenesis of AD¹⁸.  

Recently, a group of researchers from Harvard Medical School utilized the iPSC technology and reprogrammed skin cells from patients with SAD into iPSCs¹⁹. The patient-specific iPSCs were then differentiated into neural progenitor cells (NPCs) to obtain SAD NPCs. Using these diseased cells, they were able to uncover new information about the disease – diseased cells showed abnormal signs of accelerated maturation as compared to healthy cells. They were also discovered that the diseased cells have a loss of function of a protein called REST. By restoring levels of functional REST, they were able to prevent early maturation of SAD NPCs.

Another group of researchers from the Mayo Clinic differentiated AD iPSCs into cerebral organoids (‘mini-brains’), which are 3D self-organizing structures that recapitulate many features of the human brain. The diseased cerebral organoids showed high levels of amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau, which are key features of AD. Using these diseased ‘mini-brains’, they were also able to uncover new knowledge about the disease which includes altered RNA metabolism and increased numbers of stress granules ²⁰.

 

 

Stem-Cell Based Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

With the lack of suitable platforms to study AD as well as the gross limitations of current mice models of AD, researchers and the public alike have started to feel disheartened. However, in recent years, proof-of-concept studies of various types of stem cell-based therapies have shown great promise in treating AD.

Firstly, the use of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) to treat AD is actively pursued right now. MSCs are stem cells that are found in umbilical cord blood, the Wharton jelly (a connective tissue found in the umbilical cord), bone marrow, and even fat tissues. In fact, a phase 1 clinical trial investigating the use of umbilical cord blood MSCs to treat AD patients was completed in 2015²¹ and results showed that the treatment was both safe and feasible. MSCs can potentially treat AD via three ways – immune regulation, reducing numbers of amyloid-beta plaques, and promote neurotrophic regeneration and evidences suggest that the therapeutic potential of MSCs lies with the extracellular vesicles/ exosomes, produced by MSCs²². Exosomes contain nucleic acids, proteins, enzymes and even immune signals that are able to promote regeneration, regulation inflammation, and clear amyloid-beta plaques.

Next, the cellular transplantation of NPCs differentiated from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) was able to improve learning and memory functions in rat models of AD²³. In addition, transplanting human induced-neural progenitor/ stem cells (iNPCs) into the hippocampus of AD mice restored cognitive deficits of diseased mice and significantly improved cognitive performance
²⁴. Therefore, ESC-derived NPCs and iNPCs can potentially serve as therapeutic options to treat and improve cognitive functionalities of AD patients. Other than NPCs, stem cell-derived glial cells²⁵ were also able to reduce amyloid-beta deposition and were effective in decreasing cognitive dysfunctions in AD mice.

The risk of graft rejection will be reduced if patient-specific iPSCs were used to generate cells for autologous transplantation. Genetic mutations found in the patients can also be edited via the CRISPR/Cas9²⁶ technology. This way, NPCs, neurons, or glial cells differentiated from patient-specific (edited) iPSCs will be healthy and will not be rejected by the patients’ immune system.

 

Concluding Comments

Over the past few years, research into AD has allowed us to better understand disease etiology and pathogenesis, but research efforts were hindered by the lack of suitable platforms to study the disease. Animal models of AD are still unable to fully reflect the complexities of the disease observed in humans. The advent of stem cell technologies has allowed us to model AD more accurately and sustainably. With that, stem cell-based therapies have also shown great successes in improving cognitive functions in animal models of AD. In the years to come, more studies would have to be done to determine the safety and efficacy of transplanting MSCs as well as ESC/iPSC-derived cells in treating AD patients.

 

About the Author:  Nicole
Pek is a stem cell biologist and enthusiastic science communicator. She
has worked on using human pluripotent stem cells to study cellular development
in multiple organ systems, to model complex human diseases, and screen for
therapeutics that could treat the diseases. Outside of the lab, Nicole plays a
pro-active role in communicating to the public through her science blog ‘Two
Cells’ and her education podcast ‘The Diploid Duo’.

 

Suggested Reading:

The Anti-Aging and Rejuvenating Properties of Stem Cells	Therapeutic Discovery Advanced by Stem Cells

What Cells can be Made from Stem Cells	The Case for Investing in Regenerative Medicine

 

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9.         Mayeux, R. & Stern, Y. Epidemiology of Alzheimer Disease. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2, (2012).

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22.       Elia, C. A., Losurdo, M., Malosio, M. L. & Coco, S. Extracellular Vesicles from Mesenchymal Stem Cells Exert Pleiotropic Effects on Amyloid-beta, Inflammation, and Regeneration: A Spark of Hope for Alzheimer’s Disease from Tiny Structures? BioEssays 41, 1800199 (2019).

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PDS Biotechnology Announces Oncology Research and Development Day

 

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., June 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PDS Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: PDSB), a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company developing novel cancer therapies based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune^® T-cell activating technology, today announced it will host an Oncology R&D Day for analysts, investors, and the scientific community on Wednesday, June 16^th.

The research and development day is scheduled to begin at 8:00 am ET on Wednesday, June 16th, 2021. Participants should dial 877-407-3088 (United States) or 201-389-0927 (International) and mention PDS Biotechnology.

PDS Biotech’s Oncology R&D Day will focus on the Company’s advancements in its ongoing preclinical and clinical work and will feature presentations from:

• Dr. Frank Bedu-Addo, President and CEO, PDS Biotech
• Dr. Lauren V. Wood, Chief Medical Officer, PDS Biotech
• Dr. Jeffrey Schlom, Chief of the Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health
• Dr. Julius Strauss, Principal Investigator, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health
• Dr. Caroline Jochems, Staff Scientist, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health
  

A copy of the presentations will be available on June 17^th on the scientific presentations and publications page of PDS Biotech’s website. Registration for PDS Biotech’s Oncology R&D Day is now open and a live webcast of the event will be available online in the investor relations section of the company’s website at https://pdsbiotech.com/investors/news-center/events. A replay will be available on the company website for approximately 90 days following the webcast.

About PDS Biotechnology
PDS Biotech is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company with a growing pipeline of cancer immunotherapies based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune^® T-cell activating technology platform. Versamune^® effectively delivers disease-specific antigens for in vivo uptake and processing, while also activating the critical type 1 interferon immunological pathway, resulting in production of potent disease-specific killer T-cells as well as neutralizing antibodies. PDS Biotech has engineered multiple therapies, based on combinations of Versamune^® and disease-specific antigens, designed to train the immune system to better recognize disease cells and effectively attack and destroy them. To learn more, please visit www.pdsbiotech.com or follow us on Twitter at @PDSBiotech.

Media & Investor Relations Contact:
Deanne Randolph
PDS Biotech
Phone: +1 (908) 517-3613
Email: [email protected]

Rich Cockrell
CG Capital
Phone: +1 (404) 736-3838
Email: [email protected]