BTG and Society of Interventional Oncology to Explore Role of Minimally Invasive Therapies in Immuno-oncology

LONDON, February 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

BTG plc (LSE: BTG), the global specialist healthcare company, today announced a collaboration with the Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO), a global organization working to nurture and support interventional oncology worldwide, to explore the role of interventional oncology alongside immuno-oncology.

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Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy have led to an explosion of interest in immuno-oncology. Newly approved treatments, such as checkpoint inhibitors, have been shown to prolong overall survival but only for a limited proportion of cancer patients, and only in certain tumour types. Combining immuno-oncology agents with the minimally invasive, loco-regional therapies of interventional oncology has the potential to expand the number of cancer patients who could benefit. Further research is needed to understand the potential of these combinations.

SIO and BTG have established a working group to determine how best to explore the role of interventional oncology alongside immuno-oncology in the fight against cancer. This group, which includes interventional radiologists and immuno-oncologists, will identify unmet clinical needs and the critical areas of science that require further dedicated research. The working group plans to publish a white paper to guide research and clinical practice later this year.

This collaboration also establishes an independent research fund that will enable SIO to offer grant funding to independent investigators to address the critical unanswered questions for this combination therapy. SIO plans to fund collaborative research ranging from exploratory pilot projects to prospective clinical trials.

"SIO was founded to provide an optimal and necessary vehicle to nurture and support interventional oncology as the fourth pillar of cancer therapy worldwide. This research collaboration with BTG will help provide the resources necessary to further uncover how interventional oncology procedures may work synergistically when combined with another of the most cutting edge oncologic strategies - immunotherapy," stated S. Nahum Goldberg, MD, SIO Interventional/Immuno-oncology Working Group Chair, and Vice-Chair for Research and Head of the Interventional Oncology Unit, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel.

Melanie Lee, Chief Scientific Officer of BTG, commented "As a leader in interventional oncology therapies, we believe this is an excellent opportunity to work with the scientific community and invest in generating new knowledge. Our portfolio includes embolic beads, radioactive microspheres, and cryotherapy solutions and this research will answer important questions about whether these minimally invasive therapies can expand the benefits of immuno-oncology drugs."

How loco-regional therapies might help 

Checkpoint inhibitors turn off signals that can inhibit the ability of T cells to kill cancer cells, but different tumours present different immunological challenges with responses also dependent on factors in the local tumour microenvironment. Loco-regional therapies, such as cryotherapy, embolisation or selective internal radiation therapy, de-bulk the tumour, which may make it easier for the immune system to tackle what remains. There is also some evidence that loco-regional therapies can also induce a tumour-specific immune response, releasing tumour antigens, and can help create an anti-tumour microenvironment. If combined with a checkpoint inhibitor or other immunotherapy, these effects could help make these agents more effective in a larger patient population. As loco-regional therapies are generally well tolerated, using them in combination is less likely to complicate the side-effect profile - an important consideration given the immune-mediated side effects commonly experienced with checkpoint inhibitors.

About Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO) 

SIO serves as the only membership-based organization dedicated wholly to the emerging field of Interventional Oncology (IO), working to establish, nurture, and support IO as the fourth pillar of cancer therapy alongside medical, surgical, and radiation oncology worldwide. IO therapies, such as embolization and tumor ablation, combine the expertise of oncology and radiology and use imaging technology to diagnose and treat localized cancers in ways that are precisely targeted and minimally or non-invasive. The society hosts the annual World Conference for Interventional Oncology (WCIO). For more information, please visit: www.io-central.org

About BTG 

BTG is a global specialist healthcare company bringing to market innovative products in specialist areas of medicine to better serve doctors and their patients. We have a portfolio of Interventional Medicine products to advance the treatment of cancer, severe emphysema, severe blood clots and varicose veins, and Specialty Pharmaceuticals that help patients overexposed to certain medications or toxins. Inspired by patient and physician needs, BTG is investing to expand its portfolio to address some of today's most complex healthcare challenges. To learn more about BTG, please visit: btgplc.com.

For further information contact:

SIO
Amanda Winger O'Kane, Marketing & Communications
+1-202-367-1164; aokane@io-central.org

BTG
Chris Sampson, Corporate Communications Director
+44(0)-20-7575-1595; Mobile: +44(0)-7773-251-178

Andy Burrows, VP Corporate & Investor Relations
+44(0)-20-7575-1741; Mobile: +44(0)-7990-530-605

Stuart Hunt, Investor Relations Manager
+44(0)-20-7575-1582; Mobile: +44(0)-7815-778-536

Ben Atwell/Simon Conway, FTI Consulting
+44(0)-20-3727-1000