Celsion announces commercialization of reagent products

Celsion’s reagent products are based on its newly acquired proprietary delivery platform technologies, TheraPlas and TheraSilence. TheraPlas and TheraSilence are designed for optimal transfection (intra-cellular delivery) of plasmid DNA and RNA into human (and other mammalian) cells.

"Our newly commercialized reagent platform provides Celsion with yet another avenue for validation of its newly acquired technology, offering the potential to generate modest revenues in support of our high-potential oncology pipeline," said Michael H. Tardugno, Celsion’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

"The potential of this technology is demonstrated in EGEN-001, an IL-12 DNA plasmid vector, developed using the TheraPlas platform, which enables cell transfection followed by persistent, local secretion of the immuno-oncology cytokine IL-12. Adding to promising results seen to date, we look forward to the outcome of an ongoing, Phase Ib trial of EGEN-001 in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, and to initiating a Phase I study in glioblastoma multiforme, or brain cancer, in the first half of 2015."

Nucleic acid transfection reagents are widely used in industry and research institutions. Celsion’s broad reagent portfolio consists of products that are suitable for delivery of plasmid DNA and a variety of RNAs including siRNA, microRNA, mRNA and anti-sense RNA.

These reagents are simple to use and provide a high efficiency transfection with low cytotoxicity into a variety of cell types spanning a broad range of cell lines.

The underlying technology supporting the reagent business is the same nucleic acid delivery platform technology that Celsion is advancing through clinical and preclinical testing for the treatment of ovarian and glioblastoma cancers and other difficult to treat diseases, including lung cancers.