Nottingham based cancer vaccine developer Scancell Holdings Plc recently announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Cancer Research Technology Ltd, Cancer Research UK's licencing organisation, for the use of the 105AD7 human antibody in future Immunobody products.  Scancell CEO Lindy Durrant was a key developer of the 105AD7 antibody while she was working at Nottingham University, which has already shown some success in clinical trials for osteosarcoma (bone tumour).  Scancell's most advanced product candidate, SCIB1(which recently entered Phase I/II clinical trials) is based on a de-immunised mouse antibody "framework."  Though the use of de-immunised mouse antibodies has shown good safety and efficacy in other clinical trials (and produced encouraging data in Scancell's own pre-clinical studies) it is thought that a fully human antibody framework could produce fewer immunogenic side effects.  This deal allows Scancell to potentially incorporate the human 105AD7 antibody into later products.  

Scancell is a very good illustration of:

a) the strong nerves required by investors in smallcaps due to the inherent inefficiency of a share price formation process based on marketmakers alone.

b) the opportunities which arise for such investors.

Scancell listed on PLUS in September 2008, raising £1.56 million at 60p – it made investors aware that another fundraising would be required to finance taking the lead melanoma vaccine, SCIB1, through Phase I/IIa trials. The share price dropped to a low of c.34p in June 2009 – in March 2010, the aforementioned fundraising was implemented, raising £2.3 million at 45p per share – today the bid price is 94.75p. SCLP shares have appreciated by 111% over the last year (SCLP shares began trading on AIM on 30 July 2010).

 

I see a key part of LCF Research’s role as being to identify companies such as Scancell at an early stage, and then assist investors take a rational view in spite of what is happening with the share price. In Scancell’s case, for example, the company has meticulously delivered on the project plan set out in the prospectus. I am an investor in Scancell as are two funds with which I am involved, namely London Capital Finance’s Gainsborough LLP and Hygea VCT (of which I am a director).

 

Scancell Holdings Plc is currently graded c by LCF Research.  To learn more, follow the link... VISIT LINK

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