This new agreement expands the relationship between Ziopharm and MD Anderson, established under a 2015 research agreement related to CD19-specificCAR-T. Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration cleared an IND application for a phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate CD19-specificCAR-T, manufactured and infused within two days of gene transfer using Ziopharm’s rapid personalized manufacture (RPM), as an investigational treatment for patients with relapsed CD19+ leukemias and lymphomas. Ziopharm has approximately $20 million ofpre-funded R&D at MD Anderson under the prior agreement, which may now be used under the new agreement, for both theCAR-T orTCR-T initiatives.
In addition to the new research and development agreement, Ziopharm has entered a lease agreement with MD Anderson through which the company accesses additional laboratory and office space within the institution’s campus. This new facility will serve as home for Ziopharm’s expanded Houston office, under the direction of Eleanor de Groot, Ph.D., EVP, GM Cell Therapy and Drew Deniger, Ph.D., head of Ziopharm’sTCR-T cell therapy program.
About MD Anderson
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world’s most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution’s sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world. MD Anderson is one of only 50 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). MD Anderson is ranked No.1 for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” survey. It has ranked as one of the nation’s top two hospitals for cancer care since the survey began in 1990, and has ranked first 15 times in the last 18 years. MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).
About Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.
Ziopharm Oncology is an immuno-oncology company focused on developingend-to-end cost-effective solutions using itsnon-viralSleeping Beauty platform for TCR and CART-cell therapies and immune-stimulating gene therapy with Controlled interleukin 12(IL-12). TheSleeping Beauty platform genetically modifies T cells with DNA plasmids to express TCRs to target neoantigens inside and outside hotspots for solid tumors and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to target CD19 for blood cancers using the Company’s RPM to produce and releaseCAR-T within two days of gene transfer. TheSleeping Beauty platform is being advanced in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Eden BioCell. The Company also is developing its ControlledIL-12 platform, orAd-RTS-hIL-12 plus veledimex, as monotherapy and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat brain cancer, including in collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, and in some cases can be identified by terms such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” and “believes.” These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the activities and benefits of the collaboration between Ziopharm and MD Anderson, including the Company’s expectations regarding future clinical trials, and the progress and timing of the Company’s research and development programs. Although Ziopharm’s management team believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to
