Lidak Pharmaceuticals Inc. said it will use a $428,000 SBIRgrant, awarded Thursday, to develop its large multivalentimmunogen (LMI) technology for cancer therapy.
The company intends to use the two-year Small BusinessInnovation Research (SBIR) award to further define themechanisms by which LMI treatment reduces tumor growthand to complete preclinical development.
The LMI approach involves an artificial membrane thatcontains tumor antigens, said Michael Lorber, vice presidentand chief executive officer of Lidak of La Jolla, Calif. Bypresenting the tumor antigen in such a manner, cytotoxic Tlymphocytes (CTL) are increased. Once effectively stimulatedand activated, CTL can attack and kill cancer cells. LMI wasshown in preclinical studies to be effective in treatment oftumors in mice.
"LMI is one of our lead products, and we believe it will also beapplicable in certain viral diseases which is our next focus forthe approach," Lorber said. -- Michelle Slade
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