Introgen Therapeutics Inc has been awarded a $492,600 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the National Cancer Institute. The 2-year grant will fund collaborative research between Introgen and Elizabeth Grimm, Professor in the Department of Bioimmunotherapy and Co-Director of the Melanoma Program at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and principal investigator of the study.

The research collaboration will help advance preclinical development of INGN 241, (Adenoviral-mda7), Introgen's novel gene-based drug designed to kill cancer cells without harming normal cells.

The grant, titled "Gene Therapy for Human Malignant Melanoma," is being used to support collaborative studies at Introgen and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center that evaluate the therapeutic potential of Adenoviral-mda7 in human melanoma. INGN 241 is a modified adenoviral vector that carries the cancer cell killing mda-7 gene. The collaborators' previous studies indicated that Adenoviral-mda7 treatment result in targeted destruction of breast, lung and colon cancer cells, while sparing normal cells.

Interim results from a Phase 1 dose escalation study in solid tumors were recently presented at the 10th International Conference on Gene Therapy of Cancer in San Diego, Calif. These results demonstrated safety and the ability of INGN 241 to kill cancer cells in patients with advanced cancer, with administration of a single dose.

"Current therapies for advanced malignant melanoma, the most aggressive and advanced form of the disease have a dismal survival rate," said Dr. Grimm. "Novel therapies are urgently needed for this dire disease. This grant will enable us to look at developing new therapies."