Advaxis' Listeria based fusion protein granted U.S. patent

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued Advaxis, Inc., (OTCBB: ADXS), the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) immunotherapy company, patent #7662396 titled “Compositions and Methods for Enhancing the Immunogenicity of Antigens” for the use of fusion proteins that have been found to be effective in numerous models for the treatment of cancer in the presence of immune tolerance.

“With the proprietary ActA and LLO families of fusion proteins and the multiple strains of engineered Listeria suitable for vaccine use, we can create immunotherapies for a wide variety indications in cancer and infectious disease.”

The patent covers the use of this antigen-adjuvant family of proteins alone or when delivered via a live, attenuated Listeria vaccine. Advaxis has patents on two families of antigen-fusion proteins based upon the Listeria proteins Act-A and LLO.

While LLO is the Company’s most used fusion protein, this additional patented protein family is based upon fusing a target antigen to a fragment of the Listeria protein Act-A, a protein used to facilitate the movement of Listeria. Act-A is known to have non-specific immune stimulating adjuvant properties.

Immune tolerance occurs when repeated immunogenic stimulation results in fatigue of the immune system and an inability to mount a therapeutic response. An agent such as an Act-A antigen fusion protein has the ability to generate a therapeutic anti-tumor immune response; even in the presence of pre-existing immune tolerance.

“With the proprietary ActA and LLO families of fusion proteins and the multiple strains of engineered Listeria suitable for vaccine use, we can create immunotherapies for a wide variety indications in cancer and infectious disease.” commented Dr. John Rothman, Executive Vice President of Science and Operations.