Tocagen to Present Updated Durable Response Data from Phase 1 Trial of Toca 511 & Toca FC in Recurrent Brain Cancer at the 2017 AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and...

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tocagen Inc. (Nasdaq: TOCA), a clinical-stage, cancer-selective gene therapy company, today announced that updated data from the company's Phase 1 study of Toca 511 & Toca FC in recurrent high grade glioma (brain cancer), have been selected for an oral presentation at the annual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the National Cancer Institute, and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), or AACR-NCI-EORTC, held Oct. 26-30 in Philadelphia. Clinical data demonstrating durable responses have been selected for inclusion in the conference's official press program. Additional updated Phase 1 data and preclinical results, as well as previously disclosed data, will also be presented.

Details of the AACR-NCI-EORTC presentations are as follows:

Presentation Type: Oral (Abstract: A085; selected for inclusion in the official press program of AACR-NCI-EORTC.)
Title: Durable responses observed in recurrent high-grade glioma (rHGG) with Toca 511 and Toca FC treatment 
Presenter: Clark Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Lyle French Chair in Neurosurgery and head of the University of Minnesota Medical School Department of Neurosurgery
Date and Time: Friday, Oct. 27, 12:10 p.m.-12:20 p.m. ET (Note: Webcast available Nov. 6.)

Presentation Type: Poster (Abstract: A085; selected for inclusion in the official press program of AACR-NCI-EORTC.)
Title: Durable responses observed in recurrent high-grade glioma (rHGG) with Toca 511 and Toca FC treatment 
Presenter: Asha Das, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer at Tocagen
Date and Time: Saturday, Oct. 28, 12:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ET

Presentation Type: Poster (Abstract: B010)
Title: Anti-tumor cellular immune response elicited by Toca 511 and Toca FC therapy in preclinical and clinical studies 
Presenter: Tiffany Montellano, Ph.D., medical science liaison at Tocagen
Date and Time: Sunday, Oct. 29, 12:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ET

About Toca 511 & Toca FC

Tocagen's lead product candidate is a cancer-selective immunotherapy comprised of an investigational biologic, Toca 511, and an investigational small molecule, Toca FC, that are designed to be used together. Toca 511 is an injectable retroviral replicating vector (RRV) that encodes a prodrug activator enzyme, cytosine deaminase (CD). CD is derived from yeast, and humans do not naturally have this gene. Its selective delivery to cancer cells means that the infected cancer cells selectively carry the CD gene and produce CD. Toca FC is an investigational orally administered prodrug, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) that is inactive as an anti-cancer drug. In animal models, Tocagen has shown that 5-FC is converted into the anticancer drug, 5-FU, at high concentrations in Toca 511-infected cancer cells that are producing CD. Together, the Toca 511 & Toca FC combination directly kills cancer cells and immune-suppressive myeloid cells resulting in activation of the immune system against the cancer.

About Tocagen

Tocagen is a clinical-stage, cancer-selective gene therapy company developing first-in-class, broadly applicable product candidates designed to activate a patient's immune system against their own cancer. Tocagen is developing its lead investigational product candidate, Toca 511 & Toca FC, initially for the treatment of recurrent high grade glioma (HGG), a disease with significant unmet medical need. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Toca 511 & Toca FC Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of recurrent HGG and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted Toca 511 PRIME (PRIority MEdicines) designation for the treatment of HGG.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our business plans and objectives, expectations regarding our cash position, timing and success of our clinical trials and planned clinical trials, timing of results from our clinical trials, timing of updates from communications with the FDA and our plans regarding selection of additional product candidates. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: the success, cost and timing of our product candidate development activities and planned clinical trials; our ability to execute on our strategy; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; and our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue and capital requirements. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Tocagen's filings and reports with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Tocagen undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

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SOURCE Tocagen Inc.