Avid Bioservices Inc (CDMO)

[entdoc]

Reviewing Thorpe patents, 2004-05: "Another effective version of the vascular targeting approach is ... delivery of coagulants, rather than toxins, to tumor vasculature [which] has the further advantages of reduced immunogenicity and even lower risk of toxic side effects. As disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,877,289, a coagulation factor for use in ... [truncated] Tissue Factor (TF), the major initiator of blood coagulation. Recently, the aminophospholipids phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were identified as specific markers of tumor vasculature (Ran et al, 1998). This led to the development of new anti-PS and anti-PE ...[MABs] for delivering anti-cellular agents, toxins and coagulation factors to tumor blood vessels (U.S. Patent No. 6,312,694). [WHILE INVESTIGATING THE ABOVE] it was discovered that unconjugated antibodies to PS and PE exerted an anti-cancer effect without attachment to a therapeutic agent, which became known as the [BAVI] "naked antibody" approach to tumor vascular targeting and treatment (U.S. Patent No. 6,406,693).
The take away: Bavituximab, in its current "naked" iteration, is only the tip of the iceberg in a potentially vast anti-PS, anti-PE therapeutic and imaging platform. Absolutely mind-boggling potential, and PPHM continues at the forefront in this field.