OncoSec Medical Inc. a biopharmaceutical company, has entered into an exclusive cGMP manufacturing agreement with leading provider of DNA plasmid manufacturing and development services for DNA vaccine and gene therapy research company, VGXI Inc. for the production of interleukin-12 plasmid DNA (DNA IL-12). Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Punit Dhillon, president and chief executive officer of OncoSec stated, "We are pleased to enter this agreement with VGXI as we look beyond our on-going phase II trials and begin planning for pivotal trials and projected future commercialization of OMS ElectroImmunotherapy." Mr. Dhillon continued, "VGXI was selected for its manufacturing activities based upon its ability to produce to commercial specifications and its leadership position in cGMP manufacturing of plasmid DNA for clinical use. In addition, the facility meets FDA cGMP compliance standards for manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products."
Dorothy Peterson, vice president, operations at VGXI, commented, "We are delighted to be chosen by OncoSec as the manufacturing partner for DNA IL-12 and we look forward to leveraging our expertise in this plasmid DNA production to support OncoSec in further executing its clinical development strategies for OMS ElectroImmunotherapy."
This exclusive agreement is significant for OncoSec. First, it uses VGXI's patented DNA plasmid manufacturing process. Second, it leverages VGXI's expertise for large-scale process development and clinical manufacturing for interleukin-12 plasmid DNA (DNA IL-12) for use in OncoSec's OMS ElectroImmunotherapy program. OMS ElectroImmunotherapy is currently being developed for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.