Vascular Biogenics Ltd. (NASDAQ: VBLT) charged from the gates Wednesday morning, after announcing the company will present data on Novel MOSPD2 program in oncology and inflammation at a BIO convention in Boston.
Information released Tuesday by the company, based in Tel Aviv, showed MOSPD2 could be found in many types of solid tumors, and is highly expressed on tumor cells when they start invading tissues or creating metastatic lesions. VBL's data indicate that knock-out of MOSPD2 in tumor cells may reduce metastasis by up to 95%. At the AACR conference in April this year, VBL presented a late-breaking proof-of-concept study demonstrating antibody-mediated killing of MOSPD2-expressing cancer cells.
CEO Dror Harats said “our research has shown that MOSPD2 plays a key role in the regulation of cell motility. We have generated data indicating that MOSPD2 is required for directional movement, or chemotaxis, of tumor cells and certain immune cells, and therefore appears to play a central role in both oncology and inflammation.
“We continue to advance our exciting VB-600 series of antibodies as drug candidates for oncology and inflammatory indications."
VBL research has also shown that knocking-out the MOSPD2 gene in mice could protect the animals from developing some inflammatory diseases. The Company has generated antibodies that block immune cell migration and show efficacy in a model of multiple sclerosis.
VBL is developing the VB-600 platform of biologic drug candidates for oncology and inflammatory indications. The Company plans to file an IND in this program by year-end 2019.
The shares were galvanized 43 cents, or 19.8%, to $2.58.
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