SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANIX), a biotechnology company focused on harnessing the body's immune system to fight cancer, congratulates H. Michael Shepard, Ph.D., a member of Anixa's Scientific Advisory Board, as a recipient of the 2019 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award in recognition of his research work in improving patient lives in the field of oncology.

Dr. Shepard is one of three scientists accepting this year's Lasker award for the development of the anti-cancer drug Herceptin (trastuzumab) for the treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer.  Herceptin has also been proven to be effective in treating ovarian and gastric cancer patients.

Created in honor of the Mary and Albert Lasker Foundation, the Lasker Awards program acknowledges the biological discoveries and clinical advances that improve human health and draw attention to public support of science. Today, the Lasker Awards are the most prestigious biomedical research prizes in the U.S., and often precede a Nobel Prize.

"We are pleased that Dr. Shepard has been appropriately recognized for his pioneering work on developing a revolutionary therapy for breast cancer. Worldwide, nearly two and a half million breast cancer patients have been treated with trastuzumab. Mike has been a good friend, advisor and mentor to me for two decades. I am pleased that a scientist of his stature is a scientific advisor to Anixa, especially as we embark on the development of a revolutionary breast cancer vaccine in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic," stated Dr. Amit Kumar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Anixa. "Mike and his colleagues ushered in the age of monoclonal antibodies for the targeted treatment of cancer. Trastuzumab, marketed as Herceptin by Genentech, was the first monoclonal antibody approved to treat cancer, but since its approval numerous other antibodies have been approved and used to treat tens of millions of cancer patients."

More information about the award and the development of Herceptin is available at the following:

http://www.laskerfoundation.org/awards/show/herceptin-targeted-antibody-therapy-breast-cancer/

https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(19)30947-X

About Dr. H. Michael Shepard
Dr. Shepard is an American cancer researcher. He received a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the Indiana University and later became a Damon-Runyon Cancer Fellow. From 1980 to 1992, Shepard worked at Genentech, where he managed an extramural program that created much successful collaboration with the academic community, including studies that led to Remicade, which is now used to treat multiple autoimmune diseases. Shepard's main discovery was the first biomarker-driven drug known as Herceptin. The drug was the first proof of principle that an antibody can be used to treat solid tumors, as well as the first demonstration that tyrosine kinases (enzymes that transfer phosphates inside a cell) are valid targets for treating cancer.

About Anixa Biosciences, Inc.
Anixa is a publicly-traded biotechnology company focused on harnessing the body's immune system in the fight against cancer. Anixa's therapeutic portfolio includes a cancer vaccine technology focused on the immunization against α-Lactalbumin to prevent triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), as well as a cancer immunotherapy program which uses a novel type of CAR-T, known as chimeric endocrine receptor t-cell (CER-T) technology. The company's diagnostic portfolio consists of Cchek™, a liquid biopsy technology for early detection of solid tumors based on the body's immune response to the presence of a malignancy. Anixa continually examines emerging technologies in complementary fields for further development and commercialization. Additional information is available at www.anixa.com.

Forward-Looking Statements: Statements that are not historical fact may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but rather reflect Anixa's current expectations concerning future events and results. We generally use the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "likely," "will" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements.  Such forward-looking statements, including those concerning our expectations, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to, those factors set forth in "Item 1A - Risk Factors" and other sections of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. You are cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements when evaluating the information presented in this press release. 

Anixa contact:
Mike Catelani
mcatelani@anixa.com
408-708-9808

Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.

Sharen Tilman (Investors)
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646-604-5149

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212-375-2686

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SOURCE Anixa Biosciences, Inc.