multimmune GmbH products

ENKASTIM-ev  is an innovative product candidate representing a new class of therapy known as Active Cellular Immunotherapies (ACIs). ACI is a treatment approach which capitalizes on the power of vital human cells to re-engage the patient`s own immune system to fight cancer. The product induces a targeted immune response against surface-bound heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). Surface-bound Hsp70 is a tumor-specific marker which is expressed on about 50-75% of various cancer entities, eg lung, colon, breast, pancreas.

In vivo application of ENKASTIM-iv, an Hsp70-based GMP-grade synthetic peptide comprising 14 amino acids (14mer), results in a specific activation of NK cells which acquire the capacity to recognise and kill membrane Hsp70-positive tumors and metastases.

mi-APO is a targeted protein product with potential to be used for the treatment of most tumor types. The product targets surface-bound heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). Surface-bound Hsp70 is a tumor-specific marker expressed on about 50-75% of various cancer entities, e.g. lung, colon, breast, pancreas. Application of mi-APO, a recombinant serine protease, results in a specific perforin-independent induction of apoptosis in Hsp70-positive tumors and metastases, sparing healthy cells.

ENKASTIM is based on the activation of immune cells called natural killer (NK) cells that are major players in the body`s first line of defense, also called innate immunity. The immune effector cells are activated  ex vivo  (outside the body; ENKASTIM-ev) or  in vivo   (inside the body; ENKASTIM-iv).

The company´s proprietary platform technology is based on the discovery of a novel tumor-specific marker - a membrane-expressed form of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). Membrane Hsp70 is most frequently expressed on a variety of different tumor types including lung, colon, breast, head and neck, stomach, pancreas carcinomas, malignant melanoma, and hematological diseases, but never on the corresponding normal tissues. In addition to primary tumors, metastases, the major cause of death by cancer, present even higher amounts of Hsp70 on their surface membranes. Metastatic disease is responsible for approximately 90% of all cancer-related deaths.