First-in-class adoptive cell therapy for treatment of osteosarcoma, a deadly form of bone cancer in dogs
OLATHE, Kan., Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ELIAS Animal Health, a leading companion animal cancer therapeutics company, today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Veterinary Biologics has determined that the data from the company’s ECI-OSA-04 pivotal combined safety and efficacy study demonstrated a reasonable expectation of efficacy, a critical milestone in the licensure pathway. Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs over the age of two and represents a significant unmet medical need in veterinary medicine.
This two-arm field safety and efficacy study (n=100) is one of the largest clinical trials conducted in canine cancer and the first of its kind to evaluate a state-of-the-art adoptive cell therapy as a treatment for cancer in dogs. The ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) works by conditioning the immune system to recognize a patient’s unique cancer, and then delivering an army of activated killer T cells to specifically target and attack those cancer cells.
“We are thrilled to achieve this important milestone with our first cancer product,” said Tammie Wahaus, CEO of ELIAS Animal Health. “I want to thank the pet owners who enrolled their dogs in the ECI-OSA-04 study, the veterinarians for their perseverance to complete the study during a pandemic, and my team for their tireless dedication. We are excited to bring this advanced personalized medicine to the veterinary market and provide a new tool in the fight against cancer.”
Prior to commercial launch, which is expected later in 2024, ECI® will continue to be available as an experimental biologic for veterinary use under ELIAS’s existing 9 CFR 103.3 authorization as the company finalizes the remaining regulatory actions to secure a first-in-class Autologous Prescription Product license.
The company plans to raise a $10 million Series A to support manufacturing expansion, commercial launch of the ECI® product, and continued development of its product pipeline: including a novel oncolytic immunotherapy, a pilot study combining ECI® with a conditionally approved checkpoint inhibitor, and a pilot study evaluating its adoptive cell therapy in large breed dogs using a sophisticated surgical technique to avoid amputation.
Learn more about ECI® at www.eliasanimalhealth.com.
About ELIAS Animal Health
ELIAS Animal Health is a medical biotechnology company advancing novel targeted T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of canine cancers. The ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy is available to veterinarians commercially under 9 CFR 103.3 as an experimental autologous prescription product for the treatment of canine osteosarcoma. The company’s novel therapeutic approach offers the prospect of improved clinical outcomes and the potential for fundamentally changing the way cancer is treated. Learn more at www.eliasanimalhealth.com.