OncoSec forms new online community for life-threatened patients

OncoSec has partnered with Smart Patients in an effort to treat patients with life threatening conditions.

Smart Patients is a new online community where people with life-threatening conditions can share their feedback and experiences relating to clinical trials, with the two organisations hoping to develop a community for Merkel cel cercinoma (MCC) patients. The condition is a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer with no approved therapies.

OncoSec is carrying out the only active Phase II immunotherapy trial that is focussed specifically on the disease, and the partnership aims to provide valuable insight from patients to boost clinical trial design and allow better collaboration.

The Smart Patients community platform has been in private beta testing since January 2013 and is now accessible for all cancer patients.

OncoSec’s chief executive Punit Dhillon said: “We’re excited to be working with Dr. Zeiger and to be a part of creating this valuable resource for the Merkel cell community.

“One of the most frightening parts of being diagnosed with a rare disease like MCC is a lack of information about the condition and treatment options. Smart Patients is providing an important resource to help patients connect and learn from each other.”

Roni Zeiger, co-founder and chief executive of Smart Patients, said: “Together with OncoSec we will be able to gain a better understanding of MCC from a patient perspective and help design more patient-centered trials that will make scientific breakthroughs for this disease available sooner.”

OncoSec Medical is developing an advanced-stage ImmunoPulse DNA-based immunotherapy and NeoPulse therapy to treat solid tumours.

These will help to meet an unmet medical need and represent a potential solution for less invasive and cheaper treatments, including surgery systemic chemotherapy or immunotherapy and other treatment alternatives.

The company’s core technology is based upon its proprietary use of an electroporation platform to dramatically enhance the delivery and uptake of a locally delivered immunocytokine.

Posted by Fiona Griffiths