– Imprime PGG, a novel immune activator, has undergone rigorous Phase II testing for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer –

–  Biothera president and chief scientific officer, Jeremy R. Graff, Ph.D., will assume the role of chief development officer at HiberCell –

NEW YORK, July 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — HiberCell, a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics for cancer relapse and metastasis, today announced the acquisition of Biothera Pharmaceuticals’ (Biothera) Imprime PGG program. HiberCell will integrate Biothera’s Minnesota-based staff, operations and other assets into the company.

Imprime PGG is a novel innate immune activator that binds to the dectin-1 receptor and activates innate immunity, reprogramming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment to enhance antigen presentation, trigger T cell activation and ultimately enhance the immune response against tumors. Phase II clinical studies of Imprime PGG in combination with checkpoint inhibition demonstrated compelling mechanistic proof-of-concept data including the activation of innate and adaptive immunity resulting in improved overall survival, overall response and disease control rates in metastatic triple negative breast cancer (mTNBC).

“Imprime PGG has provided meaningful responses in Phase 2 clinical trials for metastatic cancer patients. HiberCell will build on these data and their potential to transform the lives of people living with metastatic breast cancer,” said Alan C. Rigby, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of HiberCell. “This acquisition signifies HiberCell’s transition into a clinical stage company with a broad portfolio of assets targeting cancer relapse and metastasis.”

HiberCell’s scientific approach focuses on three mechanistic pillars of cancer dormancy: adaptive stress biology, disseminated tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. By exploring each, the company continues to assemble a pipeline of differentiated therapeutic opportunities for relapsed and metastatic cancer. Importantly, the Imprime PGG program adds to the HiberCell pipeline a later-stage innate immune activator supported by a robust translational oncology platform that has demonstrated a ‘reprogramming’ and activation of the tumor microenvironment.

In Phase II clinical studies, Imprime PGG paired with the checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda® resulted in encouraging benefits across all clinical measures in patients with metastatic breast cancer, including TNBC. HiberCell will initiate additional clinical studies in TNBC and other indications to further demonstrate the safety and efficacy of various Imprime PGG combination therapies.

“We are very proud of the translational platform and science behind Imprime PGG,” said Jeremy R. Graff, Ph.D., chief development officer of HiberCell. “We look forward to building a robust clinical pipeline in support of the meaningful data Imprime PGG has generated to date and are thrilled to continue this work at HiberCell.”

About HiberCell
HiberCell is focused on developing novel therapeutics to treat or prevent cancer relapse and metastasis. These include first-in-class ER Stress Modulators (ERSMs) and Integrated Stress Response Modulators (ISRMs) that target the Achilles heel of dormant disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) from solid and liquid cancers. HiberCell is headquartered in New York City with a site in Roseville, Minnesota.  For more information, please visit https://www.hibercell.com and follow us on LinkedIn.