BriaCell to Present Updated Clinical Data Including Early Safety Data in KEYTRUDA® Combination Study and Positive Phase IIa Monotherapy Efficacy Data at 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium


  • Positive proof of concept data with Bria-IMT™ Monotherapy will highlight potent anti-tumor activity and an excellent safety profile for Bria-IMT™ in advanced breast cancer.
  • Patient dosing is ongoing in a combination study of Bria-IMT™ with KEYTRUDA® (by Merck & Co., Inc.) in advanced breast cancer.
  • Interim safety data of the combination study will be presented at San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS®).
  • KEYTRUDA® has been highly recognized for its potent immune boosting properties – Nobel Prize in Medicine 2018 – validating BriaCell’s strategy to use it in its combination study.

BERKELEY, Calif. and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (“BriaCell,” the “Company”) (TSX-V: BCT) (OTCQB:BCTXF), an immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company with a proprietary targeted immunotherapy technology, is pleased to announce that Bria-IMT™ will be featured in a poster session during the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS®) during December 4-8 in San Antonio, Texas.

The poster highlights the data on Bria-IMT™ as a monotherapy, demonstrating positive proof-of-concept and an initial assessment of safety and tolerability for Bria-IMT™ in combination with pembrolizumab [KEYTRUDA®; manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK)] for advanced breast cancer, listed in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03328026. Presenting the poster is Saveri Bhattacharya, DO, assistant professor of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, and the main Principal Investigator (PI) of the study. BriaCell’s scientific team will be available to answer any questions during the poster presentation.

The details of the poster presentation (P2-09-09) are as follows:

Title: Initial safety and efficacy of a phase I/IIa trial of a modified whole tumor cell targeted immunotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer
Date: Thursday, December 6
Time: 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. CT
Session Title: Treatment: Immunotherapy (clinical)
Poster Number: 212
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 900 E. Market Street, San Antonio, TX 78205 USA

Following the presentation, copies of the abstract and the poster will be posted on http://briacell.com/investor-relations/presentations/.

“Despite years of research and improved treatments for breast cancer, according to the latest figures by American Cancer Society, over 40,000 people are expected to die of breast cancer in the United States this year, presenting a large unmet medical need. Several challenges need to be addressed, including improving efficacy, safety, and containing the cost of care. At BriaCell, we have been working to resolve all these issues. Bria-IMT™ has demonstrated positive proof-of-concept in advanced breast cancer, and we will delve into these data in San Antonio.  We have firm grounds to believe the anti-tumor effects of Bria-IMT™ can be greatly improved by combination with  KEYTRUDA®,” stated Dr. Bill Williams, BriaCell’s President & CEO. “We are excited with the early clinical findings of this novel treatment approach and look forward to presenting our data.”

"As we advance our technology and generate additional data, we will continue to discuss our novel therapeutic approach with potential partners to explore additional combinations. With the potential for a safe and effective treatment option for advanced breast cancer patients, we are committed to developing the shortest possible pathway to make these therapies available to these patients," Dr. Williams added.

About SABCS®

Since its inception in 1977, San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS®) has grown to a five-day program that covers the latest research on the experimental biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer and premalignant breast disease. The Symposium is attended by a large international audience of researchers, health professionals, physicians, oncologists, and those with a special interest in breast cancer from over 90 countries.

To complement the clinical focus of the annual SABCS®, Baylor College of Medicine became a joint sponsor of SABCS® in 2005. Additionally, the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at UT Health Science Center San Antonio and American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), a prestigious scientific organization known for its basic, translational and clinical cancer research, began collaboration with SABC® in 2007. The Symposium was renamed the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

For additional information on 2018 SABCS®, please visit website: https://www.sabcs.org.

About BriaCell

BriaCell is an immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company developing targeted and safe approaches for the management of cancer.

BriaCell is currently conducting a Phase I/IIa clinical trial of Bria-IMT™, its lead candidate, in a combination study with pembrolizumab [KEYTRUDA®; manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.] or ipilimumab [YERVOY®; manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company]. The combination study is listed in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03328026.

BriaCell is developing Bria-OTS™, an off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapy, for advanced breast cancer. Bria-OTS™ immunotherapy treatments are personalized to match the patient without the need for personalized manufacturing. Bria-OTS™, which is expected to cover over 90% of the patient population, is designed to produce a potent and selective immune response against the cancer of each patient while eliminating the time, expense, and complex manufacturing logistics associated with other personalized immunotherapies.

For additional information on BriaCell, please visit website: http://www.BriaCell.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation which involves known and unknown risks relevant to the Company in particular and to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries in general, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. These risks are more fully described in the Company's public filings available at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact:
BriaCell Therapeutics Corp.:
Farrah Dean
Manager, Corporate Development
Email: farrah@BriaCell.com
Phone: 1-888-485-6340