While we wait for Dandrit and DKTI

As some of you know, Dandrit is planning a merger with DKTI A/S a company listed on the danish stock exchange.

DKTI is cash rich but with no real purpose, quite the oppsite to Dandrit – who is a company with a message – but precious little cash. So it looks like a match made – well perhaps not in Heaven – but at least in a visionary environment.

I will not go into DKTI – since it is after all – merely a legal framework with a swelling bank-account, but being a newcomer on the danish stock-exchange Dandrit may deserve a closer look.

Today – we’ll start with the dendritic cells (and there was much rejoicing amongst the readers…:)  )

The scientic principle of Dandrit is based on the effect of Dendritic cells. Dendritic cell were first described by Dr Paul Langerhans in the late part of the 19th century. Noone paid much attention to the discovery – but that changed in  1973 when Ralph Steinman and Zanvil Cohn published their article – and renaming the cells “dendritic cells” .  In 2007 Steinman was awarded the prestigous Albert Lasker Award and in 2011 posthumously the most prestiogous price – The Nobel Price.  Steinman died while the Comitee were making the decision.

What is a dendritic cell you might ask – well here is a description: Dendritic cells (DCs) are immune cells that a form part of the immune system. Their main function is to process antigen material and present it on the surface to other cells of the immune system, thus functioning as antigen-presenting cells.

Mature Dendritic cells are normally present in small quantities in the skin ( a special type of dendritic cells are caled Langerhans cells after the scientist who first described the cells) and the nose, stomach, lungs and intestines – in  short in tissue that is exposed to air or food. Immature Dendritic cells are found in blood.

When alerted Dendritic cell migrate to the lymphoids where together with T-cells and B-cells they form the immediate immune response.  During the metamorphosis they grow projections, the ”dendrites”, hence the name Dendritic cell.

Presently Dendritic cells are being investigated in a number of studies – such as:

• Preliminary results from Incyte’s INCB024360 Phase I trial on solid tumors Incyte Corporation presented preliminary results today from the ongoing Phase I clinical trial for its oral indoleamine dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) inhibitor, INCB024360, at the American Society of Clinical …
• ImmunoCellular to present new data from ICT-107 Phase I trial on GBM ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., announced today it will present new data from the previously completed Phase I clinical trial of ICT-107, the Company’s lead cancer vaccine candidate for the treatme…
• Breast cancer vaccine that elicits powerful immune response also improves recurrence rates A breast cancer vaccine already shown to elicit a powerful immune response in women with varying levels of HER2 expression has the ability to improve recurrence rates and is well tolerated in an adjuv…
• Researchers discover how dendritic cells exchange information to amplify immune response Using a new fluorescent biosensor they developed, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have discovered how a key set of immune cells exchange information during their coordinated assault on invad…
• Agennix, DSM sign new contract to manufacture talactoferrin for NSCLC DSM Pharmaceutical Products, the custom manufacturing business of Royal DSM N.V., and Agennix AG have signed a new contract under which DSM will continue to manufacture talactoferrin for Agennix at co…

The first breakthrough for Dendritic cells in cancer treatment is attributable to Dendreon – http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2011/06/08/the-man-behind-the-first-cancer-treating-vaccine-on-the-fda-and-innovation/