OncoMax presented its research results at the 5th European Multidisciplinary Meeting on Urological Cancers (EMUC) which was held in Marseille, France on 15-17 November 2013.
Dr. Ilya Tsimafeyev, Scientific Advisor of Oncomax, won the First Prize for his study "FGF- and VEGF-dependent angiogenesis and its targeting". The research shows that during the use of standard targeted medicines for kidney cancer treatment – sunitinib and bevacizumab – there is a blockage of VEGF-induced angiogenesis, but not FGF-induced, which is a stability mechanism to targeted therapy. It was proved that with the use of a humanized monoclonal antybody OM-RCA-01, which blocks FGF receptor, growth of vessels in a tumor is suppressed.
“This elegant study has a great practical importance and answers the question about how to overcome the resistance to the drug in kidney cancer treatment,” – emphasized Dr. Martin Spahn during the award presentation.
“We are pleased that the original drug developed in Russia has been highly evaluated by the Organizing Committee of the EMUC-2013, one of the most significant events for the researches in the field of urological tumors with a lot of experts, clinical researchers and other professionals in the treatment of kidney cancer, bladder cancer and prostate cancer, - Ilya Tsimafeyev said, - In the near future we hope to start a clinical study of OM-RCA-01 and a successful accomplishment of this clinical trial will enable us to bring to the Russian and international market a unique targeted product against kidney cancer that can improve the quality of life for patients with such a serious illness”.
Due to the Skolkovo Foundation grant and Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund, set up with the participation of RVC OJSC, and RVC Seed Fund, the company OncoMax is able to conduct successfull studies of OM-RCA- 01, aimed at kidney cancer treatment.
About OncoMax
Biotechnological company OncoMax, Ltd, invested by Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund and RVC Seed Fund, founded in 2010 with the goal to develop and launch new diagnostic and therapeutic anti-cancer agents. The priority is given to search for new drug candidates in the therapeutic areas with high unmet need for health care efficacy. The first product — OM-RCA-01 — is a monoclonal antibody to treat renal cell carcinoma. Its new mechanism of action is based on the ability to inhibit alternative angiogenesis pathway including fibroblast growth factor receptor 1.
About EMUC
EMUC is an annual forum organized by three major European societies – European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), European Association of Urology (EAU) and European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO).
About the Skolkovo Foundation
The Skolkovo Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in September 2010 by the Russian government with an objective to accelerate transformation of Russia from a resource-intensive to an innovation-based economy. To achieve this objective the Foundation is overseeing the creation of the Skolkovo Innovation Center composed of companies and startups, developing innovative technologies (currently numbering over 950), a Technopark, the Skolkovo Institute of Technology (Skoltech), a new graduate research University established in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Skolkovo city, located near Moscow. Together these entities will establish a vibrant ecosystem of technology innovation and entrepreneurship. 28 world’s most successful corporations, including Boeing, Cisco Systems, EADS, GE, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Siemens, Nokia, Samsung etc. have already recognized the opportunity Skolkovo presents having signed R&D partnership agreements with the Foundation. For more information: http://www.sk.ru/en
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OncoMax
Anna Sitnikova
Tel.: +7 (495) 411 69 92
E-mail: sitnikova@ammaxwell.ru