Vascular Biogenics Ltd (VBLT)

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VBL Therapeutics to Present Data on Proprietary Gene Therapy Vascular Targeting System(TM) and Lead Product VB-111 - at Drug Discovery and Therapy World Congress 2015

TEL AVIV, Israel, July 14, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VBL Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VBLT), a late-stage clinical biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class treatments for cancer, today announced that Chief Executive Officer, Dror Harats, M.D., will present data regarding the Company's Vascular Targeting System™ (VTS) and its lead product VB-111 in an oral presentation on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at the Drug Discovery and Therapy World Congress 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts.

VBL recently reported interim Phase 2 data evaluating VB-111 in patients with rGBM, which showed a statistically significant overall survival benefit in patients treated with VB-111 followed by VB-111 in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin™) upon disease progression, compared to patients treated with VB-111 followed by bevacizumab alone (median overall survival of 16 vs. 8 months, respectively; p=0.05). VBL expects to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 study in rGBM under a Special Protocol Assessment with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in mid-2015. At the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in June, the Company reported promising Phase 1/2 data in a second solid tumor indication evaluating VB-111 for the treatment of platinum-resistant Müllerian cancer, demonstrating evidence of clinical benefit even in patients who previously failed on bevacizumab.

VB-111 is the Company's lead product based on the innovative VTS platform gene therapy technology, which enables targeted and specific expression of a gene of choice in angiogenic blood vessels through unique "super enhancer" DNA regulatory sequences. VTS is comprised of three elements: a viral vector as a delivery tool, VBL's proprietary, semi-artificial PPE-1-3x promoter, and a transgene of choice. The technology can be employed for various purposes, including detecting, promoting or destroying newly-formed blood vessels in various pathological conditions.

As the first highly targeted anti-angiogenic agent for the specific inhibition of tumor vascular growth to use VBL's VTS for cancer therapy, VB-111 has the potential to treat a range of solid tumor indications by selectively targeting the blood vessels required for tumor growth. Since VB-111 causes apoptosis of cells that turn on its proprietary endothelial promoter due to angiogenesis, whether stimulated by VEGF or other signals, we believe it has the potential to be effective whatever the mechanism driving new tumor vascular growth. VB-111's activity is not limited to a certain tumor type or a subset of cells carrying a specific mutation and, because it works through the vasculature, VB-111 is also able to target brain tumors without crossing the blood-brain barrier. Furthermore, VB-111 may induce an immune response that potentiates its anti-angiogenic effect.

Details of the presentation are as follows:
Abstract: SL-33
Title: Vascular Targeting System – a Proprietary Gene Therapy Platform Technology
Time: Wednesday, July 22, 2015, 12:20 – 12:40 p.m. ET
Track: Cancer Targeted Drug Discovery

http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/07/14/751830/10141551/en/VBL-Therapeutics-to-Present-Data-on-Proprietary-Gene-Therapy-Vascular-Targeting-System-TM-and-Lead-Product-VB-111-at-Drug-Discovery-and-Therapy-World-Congress-2015.html