MaxiVax awarded a grant worth CHF 300,000 to evaluate MaxiVAX cancer vaccine

MaxiVax, a Swiss-based clinical stage biotech company with a novel, patient-specific and personalized active immunotherapy product for cancer vaccination, has been awarded a grant worth CHF 300’000. The grant was awarded to Dr Nicolas Mach Managing Director, Geneva University Hospital, who is Chief Scientific Officer of MaxiVAX and founder of its novel immunotherapy technology. The grant of CHF 300,000 will be used to evaluate this cancer vaccination product in a phase II study in patients with head & neck cancer in Switzerland. The trial will be run in collaboration with the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), and is expected to start in Q4 2016.

The 2015 SAKK, RTFCCR and Gateway Research Grant totalling CHF 1.5 million was awarded to five different research projects addressing pivotal challenges in clinical cancer research today. Dr Mach received an award in the category of developing approaches for metastatic diseases with broad applicability to multiple cancers. This joint research grant was awarded for the third year by the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Re-search (RTFCCR) and the U.S.-based non-profit organization, Gateway for Cancer Research. Founded in 2011, this strategic partnership seeks to accelerate innovative and relevant oncology research that may lead to more potent, less toxic and potentially life-saving treatment options for cancer patients.

Dr Nicolas Mach, Managing Director, Chief Scientific Officer of MaxiVAX, commented: “I am delighted that this cancer vaccine has been recognised by our peers as a potentially novel therapy for treating patients who to date faced a bleak prognosis. The vast majority of individuals suffering from cancer with local infiltration or metastasis will die from their malignancy within three years despite the currently available therapies.” He continued: “MVX-ONCO-1 is the first personalized cell-based cancer immunotherapy using encapsulation cell technology. Therapy is individualized and can be applied to any cancer type.”

MVX-ONCO-1 safe and well tolerated
Results were announced recently from the clinical phase 1 trial of MVX-ONCO-1 in 15 patients suffering from various solid cancers at an advanced stage and whose disease was progressing despite currently available treatment. This first in man study was conducted at the Geneva University Hospitals under the auspices of SwissMedic. The results demonstrate that MVX-ONCO-1 is safe and well tolerated. There were no adverse events related to the product itself, as assessed by the treating physician. Furthermore, encouraging efficacy results were observed particularly in those patients with a more robust immune system. The results were presented at the Swiss Biotech Day held in Basel on 12 April 2016.

MaxiVAX recently appointed Dimitrios Goundis, as its Chief Executive Officer. He joins the company after holding several senior management and R & D positions at The Medicines Company, Speedel and Roche, both in Europe and the US.

(Press release)