Evaxion presents a new source of AI-derived immunotherapeutic targets strongly associated with the overall survival of cancer patients
March 23 2023 - 7:55AM
Evaxion Biotech A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX) (“Evaxion” or the “Company”), a
clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the discovery
and development of AI-powered immunotherapies today announces that
it has developed a new proprietary AI platform technology ObsERV™
to identify a new source of targets for personalized cancer
therapy, potentially enabling treatment of patients that are
currently considered unresponsive to cancer immunotherapy.
ObsERV™, Evaxion’s new proprietary AI platform technology,
identifies patient-specific virus targets, so-called ERVs
(endogenous retroviruses), expressed in cancer. Evaxion has
demonstrated that overexpression of such ERVs is strongly
associated with the overall survival of cancer patients, notably of
patients that are normally considered unresponsive to
immunotherapy. In addition, the Company has preclinically
demonstrated complete tumor eradication in animal models when
targeting ERVs.
CEO Per Norlén: “I am thrilled to share this exciting
discovery, which may unlock the treatment of a much larger group of
cancer patients. While there are efforts to develop cancer vaccines
against ERVs that are shared between small groups of patients, we
believe that we are the first in the world to use ERVs as targets
for personalized cancer immunotherapy, broadening the scope
tremendously.”
ERVs are remnants of ancient viruses lying dormant in our
genomes. ERVs are often overexpressed in cancers but not in healthy
tissue, making them visible to the immune system and hence a
promising target for immunotherapy. Evaxion’s AI platforms for
decoding the immune system have been the key to allowing the
identification of patient-specific ERVs.
“Our AI platforms are continuously getting more powerful through
machine learning. This ongoing, iterative improvement and the
cross-pollination between our platforms for infectious disease and
cancer has been essential for developing the new AI platform
ObsERV. And it opens up a new treatment paradigm in cancer. Next
step will be to turn this discovery into an AI-based drug
development program that we intend to bring towards the clinic and
to patients,” Per Norlén concludes.
Evaxion will publish a preprint next week, and on March 28,
Christian Garde, Director of Bioinformatics at Evaxion, will
present this data at the Immuno 2023 conference in London, UK (link
here).
For more information, please contact:Per
Norlén, CEOpno@evaxion-biotech.com
or:
Katrine Hertz MortensenVP, Communications and Public
Relationskhm@evaxion-biotech.com+45 3010 0203
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. The words “target,” “believe,”
“expect,” “hope,” “aim,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “anticipate,”
“contemplate,” “continue,” “estimate,” “plan,” “potential,”
“predict,” “project,” “will,” “can have,” “likely,” “should,”
“would,” “could,” and other words and terms of similar
meaning identify forward-looking statements. Actual
results may differ materially from those indicated by such
forward-looking statements as a result of various factors,
including, but not limited to, risks related to: our financial
condition and need for additional capital; our development work;
cost and success of our product development activities and
preclinical and clinical trials; commercializing any approved
pharmaceutical product developed using our AI platform technology,
including the rate and degree of market acceptance of our product
candidates; our dependence on third parties including for conduct
of clinical testing and product manufacture; our inability to enter
into partnerships; government regulation; protection of our
intellectual property rights; employee matters and managing growth;
our ADSs and ordinary shares, the impact of international
economic, political, legal, compliance, social and business
factors, including inflation, and the effects on our business
from the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict in
the region surrounding Ukraine and Russia; and
other uncertainties affecting our business operations and financial
condition. For a further discussion of these risks, please
refer to the risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report
on Form 20-F and other filings with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available
at www.sec.gov. We do not assume any
obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as
required by law.
Evaxion Biotech AS (NASDAQ:EVAX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Evaxion Biotech AS (NASDAQ:EVAX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024