MIRAMAR, Fla., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Altor Bioscience Corporation announced that it was awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to advance its soluble T-cell antigen receptor (STAR)(TM) fusions toward clinical development as anti-cancer therapeutics. The grant of approximately $1,000,000 over a two-year period was awarded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"Altor is using its tumor-targeting STAR reagents to improve on the efficacy and safety of existing therapeutic drugs. This grant will allow us to complete preclinical studies on our lead molecule in preparation for human clinical trials," said Hing Wong, Ph.D., President of Altor and Principal Investigator for the grant. "We believe continued NCI support of this program underscores our ability to deliver on product development milestones and provides strong validation of our therapeutic approach."

This Phase II grant follows up a one-year Phase I grant that was used to successfully develop soluble and functional STAR(TM) fusion proteins consisting of a tumor antigen-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) linked to interleukin-2 (IL-2), an approved anti-cancer cytokine. Altor's approach uses the TCR to guide IL-2 to the tumor site where the cytokine can stimulate the immune system to attack the cancerous cells. Altor has found that the STAR/IL-2 fusion exhibits improved pharmacokinetics and potent anti-tumor activity when compared with IL-2 in several different experimental metastases and primary tumor models. The Phase II grant will make it possible for Altor to complete its preclinical evaluations and finalize manufacturing processes for production of the STAR/IL-2 fusion protein for human clinical testing.

The SBIR program is a competitive peer-reviewed grant program that provides support to small businesses to develop innovative technologies with significant commercial potential. This Phase II grant represents the ninth SBIR grant awarded to Altor by NIH.

About Altor Bioscience

Altor is a privately held biotechnology company developing targeted immunotherapies for treating cancer, viral infections, and autoimmune diseases. Altor's patented technologies facilitate the production of soluble TCR and major histocompatibility complex molecules. The resulting product candidates bind novel targets on virus-infected or cancerous cells that are not recognized by therapeutic antibodies. Altor is employing these technologies to improve the safety and efficacy of existing therapeutics. For more information, visit www.altorbioscience.com.

Contact: Altor Bioscience Corp., Peter Rhode, Ph.D., 954-443-8600 peterrhode@altorbioscience.com