Quest PharmaTech Inc., a pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products for the treatment of cancer, has recently signed an exclusive license agreement with University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to develop and market anti-PSA IgE technology for the treatment of cancer.

The technology was developed by Professor Manuel Penichet and Dr Tracy Daniels-Wells in collaboration with Dr Christopher Nicodemus among others. It covers the use of immunotherapeutic IgE in development for treatment of patients with malignancies expressing the tumor-associated antigen PSA, which is associated with prostate cancer.

Dr Tracy Daniels-Wells will present promising preclinical results obtained with the anti-PSA monoclonal IgE as a novel therapy for prostate cancer in the upcoming AACR meeting in Washington DC on April 9, 2013. The data demonstrate the potential ability of the novel molecule to selectively open the circulation which may improve the ability of cytotoxic therapy to reach cancers. At the same time, the antibody can activate specific cellular immune responses directed against PSA originating in the tumour. The presentation includes a demonstration of antitumor activity in a PSA expressing tumour mouse model.

Quest is focusing its commercial efforts in the area of antibody mediated cancer immunotherapy with both IgG and IgE products. Quest holds numerous patents for the use of tumor associated monoclonal antibodies as immune modulators. "Both IgG and IgE technologies are complementary and provide a novel approach for enhancing the effectiveness of chemotherapy while activating specific immunity to fight the cancer" commented Dr Madi R Madiyalakan, CEO of the Company.

The licensed technology platform includes three pending patent applications. Under the license agreement, Quest is obligated to make an upfront fee, milestone and royalty payments to UCLA on future revenues.