Regen BioPharma, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bio-Matrix Scientific, has signed a licensing deal with Benitec Biopharma for ddRNAi gene silencing technology to develop vaccines.
Regen will apply ddRNAi to silence indoleamine 2,3 -- dioxygenase (IDO), associated with immune-suppression and is over-expressed in cancer, in dendritic cells.
Benitec Biopharma chief executive officer Dr Peter French said, "Using ddRNAi to manipulate Dendritic Cells to stimulate the immune system to kill cancer cells is an innovative concept for the treatment of cancer in a non-toxic manner."
According to pre-clinical data, the modification of dendritic cells using ddRNAi targeting the silencing of IDO significantly enhances their efficacy as anti-cancer vaccine agents.
Commenting on the deal, Regen chairman and chief executive officer Dr David Koos said, "By combining our existing data with the issued patents and experience of Benitec, we look forward to developing an immune-based, non-toxic, cancer treatment initially targeting breast cancer."
