Full Press Release Details
MARKER THERAPEUTICS ANNOUNCES ENTRY INTO SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH WILSON WOLF
2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- -- Marker Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRKR), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company specializing in the
development of next-generation T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumor indications,
today announced it has entered into a services agreement with Wilson Wolf Manufacturing Corporation. The agreement includes an $8.0 million
upfront cash payment by Wilson Wolf to Marker in exchange for services relating to Marker's expertise in the manufacture of cell
therapies. Wilson Wolf has agreed to pay Marker an additional $1.0 million if the certain work, as defined in the services agreement,
is completed within one year from the onset of the services agreement.
"Marker Therapeutics has created its own
cGMP manufacturing capacity that allows us to service our clinical trials with full control and lower costs when compared to use of contract
manufacturing organizations," said Peter Hoang, CEO of Marker Therapeutics. "Our process utilizes Wilson Wolf products and
we think our knowledge is highly aligned with Wilson Wolf's mission to advance the cell and gene therapy field through simplified
manufacturing. Wilson Wolf's payment of $8 million in non-dilutive funding, with potential for another $1 million, for a portion
of Marker's knowledge will be used by Marker to advance its mission to fundamentally improve the way liquid and solid tumors are
eliminated. Given how entrenched Wilson Wolf's technology is in the cell and gene therapy field, we see this as an endorsement of
Marker's manufacturing expertise."
"Marker's therapies have demonstrated
in clinical trials to date the potential to activate the patient's own immune system while eliminating tumors. This $8 million upfront
payment provides Marker with added wherewithal to treat and assess patients," said Mr. Hoang.
"Wilson Wolf's mission is to create
hope for cancer patients, one G-Rex device at a time. We have hundreds of customers using our G-Rex technology
for the manufacture of cell and gene therapies that range from early-stage R&D all the way to an FDA approved therapy," said
John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Wolf. "Nearly every CAGT organization relies on contract manufacturers to make their therapies for clinical
trials. The revolutionary nature of these lifesaving therapies has caused explosive growth in demand on contract manufacturing capacity.
As a result, cell and gene therapy companies are incurring skyrocketing costs and long wait times to get their clinical drugs made."
"Marker found a unique way to avoid this
problem and created their own FDA registered drug manufacturing facility which integrates a G-Rex based manufacturing
process that we believe is extremely simple, cost effective, and easily scaled," said John Wilson. "The way that Marker freed
itself of reliance on CMOs inspired Wilson Wolf to enter into a service agreement that we believe will enhance our effort to de-risk the
cell and gene therapy industry as a whole."
About Wilson Wolf Manufacturing
Minnesota, Wilson Wolf (www.wilsonwolf.com) was founded in 1998 to develop and make innovative cell culture technologies.
For the last decade, Wilson Wolf has focused on advancing the field of cell and gene therapy through its G-Rex bioreactor technology.
G-Rex is used to produce cells for R&D discovery, clinical trials, and commercial sale of CAGT drugs. In 2020, Wilson Wolf formed
a joint venture with Bio-Techne and Fresenius-Kabi called ScaleReady www.scaleready.com to bring more capacity to advance the
CAGT field. ScaleReady's mission is to de-risk the path from CAGT discovery to societal use.
About Marker Therapeutics, Inc.
Marker Therapeutics, Inc.
is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company specializing in the development of next-generation T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment
of hematological malignancies and solid tumor indications. Marker's cell therapy technology is based on the selective expansion
of non-engineered, tumor-specific T cells that recognize tumor associated antigens (i.e. tumor targets) and kill tumor cells expressing
those targets. This population of T cells is designed to attack multiple tumor targets following infusion into patients and to activate
the patient's immune system to produce broad spectrum anti-tumor activity. Because Marker does not genetically engineer its T cell
therapies, we believe that our product candidates will be easier and less expensive to manufacture, with reduced toxicities, compared
to current engineered CAR-T and TCR-based approaches, and may provide patients with meaningful clinical benefit. As a result, Marker
believes its portfolio of T cell therapies has a compelling product profile, as compared to current gene-modified CAR-T and TCR-based
therapies. To receive future press releases via email, please visit: HTTPS://WWW.MARKERTHERAPEUTICS.COM/EMAIL-ALERTS
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements
for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this news release concerning
the Company's expectations, plans, business outlook or future performance, and any other statements concerning assumptions made
or expectations as to any future events, conditions, performance or other matters, are "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking
statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among
other things: our research, development and regulatory activities and expectations relating to our non-engineered multi-tumor antigen
specific T cell therapies; the effectiveness of these programs or the possible range of application and potential curative effects and
safety in the treatment of diseases; the success of the services agreement with Wilson Wolf, including Marker's ability to achieve
the milestones required to receive an additional $1.0 million in funding; our ability to use our manufacturing facilities to support clinical
and commercial demand; the success of our new manufacturing process; and our future operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements.
Forward-looking statements are by their nature subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ
materially from those stated in such statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to the risks set forth
in the Company's most recent Form 10-K, 10-Q and other SEC filings which are available through EDGAR at WWW.SEC.GOV. Such risks
and uncertainties may be amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business and the global economy. The Company assumes
no obligation to update our forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date
of this press release.
Manufacturing Corporation:
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Investors and Media Contacts:
Marker Therapeutics:
Vice President/Head of Investor Relations, PR &