Therapeutic
DNA vaccines show promise against multiple myeloma
In an article for npj vaccines in October 2024, researchers present their investigation into the efficacy of a combination of DNA vaccine encoding mouse GPRC5D
Pancreatic cancer vaccine trial launches in Birmingham
Researchers at the University of Birmingham announced the launch of a trial to study the use of an mRNA cancer vaccine in the treatment of pancreatic
GSK’s herpes candidate fails to meet trial objective
GSK announced in September 2024 that it has completed the primary objective data analysis from the Phase II part of its TH HSV REC-003 trial.
OSE Immunotherapeutics launches ‘Artemia’ cancer trial
In September 2024, OSE Immunotherapeutics announced the launch of an international Phase III clinical trial of its off-the-shelf neoepitope-based
Evaxion’s topline data show EVX-01 has promise
In September 2024, Evaxion Biotech announced positive topline data from a Phase II trial of EVX-01. This is part of a one-year interim analysis
International partnership to fund novel cancer research
In May 2024, CureSearch for Children’s Cancer announced a partnership with LifeArc intended to create “far-reaching impact for kids with cancer”. Funding will be provided for a CureSearch Acceleration Initiative by Dr Gregory Friedman, which aims to transform...
Nykode and MSD expand therapeutic combination collaboration
In May 2024, Nykode Therapeutics announced that it has expanded its collaboration with MSD to include a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement for a phase II trial to evaluate Nykode’s lead candidate, VB10.16, in combination with MSD’s KEYTRUDA. KEYTRUDA is...
Takeda and AC Immune sign agreement on Alzheimer’s vaccine
Takeda announced in May 2024 that it has entered an exclusive, worldwide option and license agreement with AC Immune for the latter’s active immunotherapies targeting toxic forms of amyloid beta (Abeta). This includes the vaccine ACI-24.060, which targets Alzheimer’s...
“Fierce” response with mRNA vaccine against glioblastoma
Researchers at the University of Florida shared in May 2024 that in a first in human trial of four adult patients, an mRNA cancer vaccine “quickly reprogrammed the immune system” against glioblastoma, the “most aggressive and lethal” brain tumour. Their results,...
UK begins trial of personalised mRNA against melanoma
In April 2024 we learnt of a trial of a personalised mRNA vaccine against the most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma. Recruitment for the University College London Hospital trial began in October 2023, and is expected to involve more than 60-70 patients at 8...
Gritstone shares “positive” data in ongoing GRANITE trial
In April 2024 Gritstone bio announced “positive” preliminary data from an ongoing Phase II portion of the Phase II/III study to evaluate GRANITE. GRANITE is Gritstone’s personalised neoantigen cancer vaccine and is being evaluated in front-line metastatic...
Geneos announces positive data in GT-30 clinical trial
In April 2024 Geneos Therapeutics announced the publication of “positive” safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy data from a full cohort of patients in the GT-30 clinical trial. The paper, in Nature Medicine, presents the 36-patient, single-arm, open-label, multi-centre...
Expanded collaboration against cancer in trial of TG4050
In March 2024 Transgene, NEC Corporation, and BostonGene Corporation announced the expansion of their collaboration for the randomised Phase I/II trial of TG4050. TG4050 is an investigational cancer therapy vaccine, individualised for patients with head and neck...
TherVacB: therapeutic hepatitis B vaccine enters trial
In February 2024 Helmholtz Munich announced that a vaccine designed and developed under its leadership has entered a clinical trial. The vaccine, TherVacB, is a novel therapeutic candidate to tackle chronic hepatitis B. The Phase Ia trial investigates the safety and...
Study: could BCG vaccine treat liver cancer tumours?
In February 2024 UC Davis Health announced the results of a study, published in Advanced Science, which show that a single dose of the tuberculosis vaccine Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) reduced liver tumour burden and extended the survival of mice with liver cancer....
Ultimovacs announces EMA opinion on UV1 for mesothelioma
Ultimovacs announced in February 2024 that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a “positive opinion” on its application for Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for a therapeutic cancer vaccine for the treatment of mesothelioma: UV1. The designation was announced...
Desentum raises €12 million for allergy vaccines
In February 2024, Finnish biopharmaceutical company Desentum announced that it had raised €12 million in a funding round organised by investment company Springvest Oyj in January 2024. Desentum shared that it will use most of this to continue clinical development of a...
Study: Vaxxinity’s cholesterol candidate lowers LDL-C
In February 2024 Vaxxinity announced the publication of pre-clinical data that demonstrate the ability of a vaccine candidate VXX-401 to “reproducibly” lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in non-human primates. The results, shared in Journal of Lipid...
MSK’s KRAS-targeting vaccine shows “promise” in trial
Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre (MSK) shared in February 2024 that a trial for a vaccine candidate for patients with pancreatic or colorectal cancer shows “encouraging early results”. The vaccine targets KRAS mutated tumours, which they suggest...
Vaxxinity joins UF for work on neurodegenerative diseases
In January 2024 Vaxxinity announced that it is collaborating with the University of Florida’s (UF) Centre for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CTRND) to support efforts on the development of vaccines for neurodegenerative diseases. With a grant...
