SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ichor Medical Systems, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement with Pfizer. Ichor’s TriGrid™ intramuscular electroporation technology will be used to facilitate clinical administration of DNA-based vaccines as part of Pfizer’s preclinical cancer vaccine-based immunotherapy research program. Electroporation is a method that uses electrical pulses to create temporary pores in cell membranes, potentially allowing efficient uptake of a DNA-based vaccine or other substance.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ichor will receive an upfront payment and potential development milestone payments for products in the licensed field as well as royalty payments on potential future licensed product sales. Ichor and Pfizer will share development expenditures during the collaboration phase and Pfizer will assume full responsibility for manufacturing and commercialization of Pfizer vaccine-based immunotherapies and Ichor devices for any licensed products.
“We are pleased to be collaborating with Ichor in the application of its technology for Pfizer’s investigational therapeutic cancer vaccine-based immunotherapy programs,” said James Merson, Senior Vice President and CSO of Pfizer’s Vaccine Immunotherapeutics Research Unit. “Therapeutic vaccine-based immunotherapies hold considerable promise to potentially extend or improve the lives of patients with many different types of cancer.”
Robert Bernard, Ichor Founder and CEO, stated, “Ichor is excited about this opportunity to support Pfizer’s development of its cancer vaccines with our TriGrid electroporation technology. Over the past decade, we have pursued clinical development of DNA vaccines in a variety of infectious disease and cancer indications. We will continue to pursue those efforts both on our own and in future partnerships.”
About Ichor Medical Systems, Inc.
Ichor Medical Systems’ TriGrid™ Delivery System (TriGrid) is the first integrated and fully automated device for electroporation-mediated DNA administration in humans. Ichor, a privately held biotech company based in San Diego, CA, is collaborating with partners to provide its enabling TriGrid platform as a means for delivery of DNA drugs and vaccines in disease indications such as cancer, malaria, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, as well as for multiple biodefense agents. Visit http://www.ichorms.com.
