Medigene AG: Medigene presented paths to potential neoantigen-based TCR-therapies

Martinsried/Munich (pta010/19.03.2019/07:30 UTC+1) - High-throughput assessment of neoantigens recognized by both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells presented at Immuno-Oncology Summit Europe

Medigene AG (FSE: MDG1, Prime Standard) announces that its Head of Technology and Innovation, Dr. Slavoljub Milosevic, presented "Rapid High-Throughput Functional Selection of Neoantigens and Assessment of Their Safety" for future novel TCR therapies at the Immuno-Oncology Summit Europe in London.

Neoantigens are an important class of highly specific target molecules for vaccine and TCR-based immunotherapies. Identification of neoantigens by next-generation sequencing and prediction of binding to the HLA allotypes of a patient still leave open the issues of actual immunogenicity and safety of neoantigen targets for therapeutic use. Medigene combines high throughput functional screening with sophisticated in silico tools to overcome several current limitations in selecting relevant neoantigens.

It has been repeatedly shown in recent clinical trials that patient specific neoantigens (delivered as mRNA, peptide vaccines or identified by tumor infiltrating lymphocytes) could be nicely recognized by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, but surprisingly also very efficiently by helper CD4+ T cells. Medigene presented the CrossTAg (cross-presentation of T cell antigens) vector system which allows highly efficient presentation of intracellular antigens delivered in the form of mRNA in donor-derived antigen presenting cells (APCs) on both MHC class I and MHC class II molecules. This system is used to study neoantigens, in combination with Medigene's recently granted IP for a TCR building block library and the Company's self-developed automated platform. In a high-throughput fashion, Medigene can assess the immunogenicity of neoantigens recognized by both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. The platform technology can dramatically reduce time for selection of suitable immunogenic patient-derived neoantigens and it can be used for simultaneous isolation of neoantigen-specific TCRs used by CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Such TCRs can potentially be developed for patient-individualized neoantigen-specific adoptive T cell therapy.

Medigene AG (FSE: MDG1, ISIN DE000A1X3W00, Prime Standard) is a publicly listed biotechnology company headquartered in Martinsried near Munich, Germany. The company is developing highly innovative immunotherapies to target various forms and stages of cancer. Medigene focuses on the development of personalized T cell-based therapies, with projects currently in preclinical and clinical development.

For more information, please visit http://medigene.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements representing the opinion of Medigene as of the date of this release. The actual results achieved by Medigene may differ significantly from the forward-looking statements made herein. Medigene is not bound to update any of these forward-looking statements. Medigene® is a registered trademark of Medigene AG. This trademark may be owned or licensed in select locations only.

Contact Medigene AG
Julia Hofmann, Dr. Robert Mayer
Tel.: +49 - 89 - 20 00 33 - 33 01
email: investor@medigene.com

In case you no longer wish to receive any information about Medigene, please inform us by e-mail (investor@medigene.com). We will then delete your address from our distribution list.

(end)

Emitter:	Medigene AG Lochhamer Straße 11 82152 Planegg Germany
Contact Person:	Medigene PR/IR
Phone:	+49 89 2000 33 3301
E-Mail:	investor@medigene.com
Website:	www.medigene.de
ISIN(s):	DE000A1X3W00 (Share)
Stock Exchange(s):	Regulated Market in Frankfurt; Free Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate