Visual Universitätsmedizin Mainz

Together against lung cancer

University Medical Center Mainz signs collaboration agreement with the xprot GmbH and the Thoraxklinik Heidelberg GmbH

PRESS RELEASE OF XLIFE SCIENCES AG

xprot GmbH, an 100% equity project company of Xlife Sciences AG (SIX: XLS), has signed a collaboration agreement with the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz and the Thoraxklinik Heidelberg GmbH. The collaboration will focus on new approaches to suppress tumor growth and immune evasion in lung cancer, which was discovered by the research group around Prof. Dr. Luise Florin at the Institute of Virology and protected as a patent.

The research activities of the cooperation are focused on strategies to develop gene-therapies with the aim to restore expression of downregulated genes in lung cancer tissue to stop uncontrolled tumor growth and stimulate the immune response. Besides the therapeutic use of the candidates, the company is also evaluating their potential as diagnostic biomarker.

Frank Plöger, Chief Scientific Officer of Xlife Sciences, says: “With estimated 240.000 new cases per year and about 130.000 deaths in the USA alone, there is still a high medical need for lung cancer therapies after years of research. With the available new modalities like gene therapy or mRNA delivery technology, there is new hope for patients suffering from cancer. The combination of biomarker and therapeutic target is a very promising combination for a future personalized medicine approach in a highly attractive market, which is estimated to reach globally USD 48 billion by 2026.” After the validation of the approach in lung cancer, xprot aims to broaden the indication space towards additional cancer indications.

The contract, which was concluded with the support of the technology transfer company Innovectis, includes several milestones and a revenue share for University Medical Center Mainz and the Thoraxklinik Heidelberg. “This project is another step to further expand the successful development of medical technology transfer and the associated local startup scene,” confirms the Commercial Director of the University Medical Center Mainz, PD Dr. Christian Elsner.

Contact:

Information for journalists:
IRF Reputation AG, Valentin Handschin,  handschin@irf-reputation.ch;

Dr. Tasso A. Enzweiler, Corporate Communications, University Medical Center Mainz,
Tel.: +49 6131 17-7424,  pr@unimedizin-mainz.de

Information for investors:
Xlife Sciences AG, Dennis Lennartz,  dennis.lennartz@xlifesciences.ch;

Dr. Matthias Schwabe, Technology Transfer, University Medical Center Mainz,
Tel.: +49 6131 17-9704,  matthias.schwabe@unimedizin-mainz.de


About Xlife Sciences AG (SIX: XLS)
Xlife Sciences is a Swiss company focused as incubator and accelerator on the value development and commercialization of promising research projects from universities and other research institutions in the life sciences sector, with the aim of providing solutions for high unmet medical needs and a better quality of life. The goal is to bridge research and development to healthcare markets. Xlife Sciences takes carefully selected projects in the four areas of technological platforms, biotechnology/ therapies, medical technology, and artificial intelligence/digital health to the next stage of development, and participates in their subsequent performance. For more information, visit www.xlifesciences.ch.


Disclaimer
Some of the information contained in this media release contains forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Xlife Sciences undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.