OncoSec Medical Inc (ONCSQ)

[hschlauch]

Oncosec has demonstrated that their p2a-linked plasmid construct is able to downregulate PD-1 checkpoint molecules without any checkpoint inhibitor. The protracted intratumoral IL-12 concentration that is produced by the cancer cells triggers the release of T-bet by the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. There is an inverse relationship between T-bet and PD-1 molecules: the more T-bet you have the less PD-1 is expressed on T cells.

This observation has been confirmed in other studies as well.

IL-12 is the third activation signal for T cells. It not only leads to interferon gamma release, but it downregulates PD-1, CTLA-4, TIM3, etc.

I think this first multigene product, which encodes an anti-CD3 antibody, will improve T cell activation, contribute to in situ expansion of T cells, and lead to the downregulation of checkpoints without a single checkpoint inhibitor needed.