Compugen to Enter Research Collaboration with Mount Sinai on Novel Myeloid Immuno-Oncology Targets

Compugen Ltd. (NASDAQ: CGEN), a leader in predictive discovery and development of first-in-class therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy, today announced the initiation of a multi-year cancer immunotherapy research collaboration with Mount Sinai, under the direction of Miriam Merad, MD, PhD, Director of the Precision Immunology Institute and Co-Leader of the Cancer Immunology program and Mount Sinai Professor in Cancer Immunology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. Dr. Merad is a world-class leader in the field of myeloid biology for the development of novel cancer immunotherapies and is a member of Compugen’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

Dr. Merad said, “After joining Compugen’s SAB earlier this year, I grew more familiar with and impressed by the Company’s promising novel immuno-oncology drug target pipeline. I am looking forward to collaborating with Compugen scientists in advancing the Company’s myeloid target candidates portfolio. Targeting myeloid biology, through Compugen myeloid target candidates, may potentially elicit a strong anti-tumor effect. Therapeutic development against myeloid targets can potentially provide a solution for cancer patients non-responsive to current treatments or serve as a combination therapy with existing immune checkpoint inhibitors in order to increase their response rate.”

Anat Cohen-Dayag, PhD, President and CEO of Compugen stated, “Following our fruitful multi-year collaboration with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, we are pleased to announce yet another research collaboration with a leading academic institution led by a world-renowned expert in her field in order to further understand and advance our novel immuno-oncology targets towards clinical trials. We look forward to collaborating with Dr. Merad and her team and believe that this partnership will potentially broaden our pipeline and provide new treatment options for patients whose disease is refractory to existing immune checkpoint inhibitors or other treatment modalities.”

The collaboration will focus on the research and target validation of selected myeloid candidates discovered by Compugen for their potential to serve as a basis for cancer immunotherapy treatments, including the validation of their role in innate immunity and involvement in tumor biology.

“Mount Sinai is a robust ecosystem for the development of groundbreaking technologies that benefit patients on a global scale. It’s through the discoveries of talented translational innovators like Dr. Merad that we are able to continuously improve health outcomes,” said Erik Lium, PhD, Senior Vice President of Mount Sinai Innovation Partners.

About Myeloid Cells and Immunotherapy

Myeloid cells are a critical component of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), preventing T cells from entering the tumor and eliciting an immune response against the tumor. Targeting tumor myeloid cells may create an immune response towards the cancer, which has emerged as a complimentary strategy of multiple cancer immunotherapy approaches. This method can potentially elucidate a strong anti-tumor effect transforming a cold, or uninflamed tumor into a hot, or inflamed tumor. Therefore, it can potentially provide a solution for non-responsive patients or serve as a combination therapy with existing immune checkpoint therapies in order to increase their response rate.

About Compugen

Compugen is a therapeutic discovery and development company utilizing its broadly applicable predictive discovery infrastructure to identify novel drug targets and develop first-in-class therapeutics in the field of cancer immunotherapy. The Company’s therapeutic pipeline consists of immuno-oncology programs against novel drug targets it has discovered, including T cell immune checkpoints and myeloid target programs. Compugen’s business model is to selectively enter into collaborations for its novel targets and related drug product candidates at various stages of research and development. The Company is headquartered in Israel, with R&D facilities in both Israel and South San Francisco, CA. Compugen’s shares are listed on NASDAQ and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CGEN. For additional information, please visit Compugen’s corporate website at www.cgen.com.

About Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP)

MSIP is responsible for driving the real-world application and commercialization of Mount Sinai discoveries and inventions, and the development of research partnerships with industry. Our aim is to translate discoveries and inventions into health care products and services that benefit patients and society. MSIP is accountable for the full spectrum of commercialization activities required to bring Mount Sinai inventions to life. These activities include evaluating, patenting, marketing and licensing new technologies building research, collaborations and partnerships with commercial and nonprofit entities, material transfer and confidentiality, coaching innovators to advance commercially-relevant translational discoveries, and actively fostering an ecosystem of entrepreneurship within the Mount Sinai research and health system communities. For more information, visit www.ip.mountsinai.org.