Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs. Photo: Ultimovacs

Cancer vaccine effective for 60% of patients

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Picture of Carlos de Sause, CEO of ultimovacs

60% of melanoma patients responded to universal cancer vaccine, according to new data from our member Ultimovacs.

A clinical trial against advanced melanoma (a serious form of skin cancer) has shown positive effects in 60% of all patients. The Phase I clinical trial is led by our member Ultimovacs, a Norwegian company that develops vaccines against cancer.

“These very strong and exciting data further strengthen the foundation for our broad Phase II clinical program for UV1,” said Jens Bjørheim, Chief Medical Officer at Ultimovacs.

The cancer treatment is a universal cancer vaccine called UV1 in combination with an immunotherapy drug called pembrolizumab. The results of the treatment show a 60% objective response rate in patients with advanced melanoma. This includes 30% complete responses and 30% partial responses.

The potential of immunotherapy

The reason for choosing this treatment is that immunotherapy has good effect on melanoma patients and many new combinations of immunotherapy show great potential.

Immunotherapy mobilises the cancer patient’s own immune system to identify and kill the cancer cells.

The melanoma patients often don’t have the right T cells present in their bodies to experience the full effect of the immunotherapy pembrolizumab.

T cells are part of the immune system, help to protect the body from infection and may help to fight cancer.

The cancer vaccine UV1 increases the number of the right T cells so a stronger and broader immune response can be achieved, in combination with pembrolizumab.

Accepted to ASCO

The data will be presented at a poster session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2021 Annual Meeting – the world’s largest cancer conference – on 4-8 June. The poster presentation will also be published on Ultimovacs website.

“These data reinforce our conviction that UV1 can play a transformative role in the treatment of conditions such as malignant melanoma,” said Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs.

“It suggests that UV1 in combination with checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab can mobilize the immune system to fight cancer. This is very encouraging for melanoma patients and for those involved with the roll-out of Ultimovacs’ broader programs in solid cancers,” de Sousa continued.

Read more in the press release from Ultimovacs.

Cancer researcher Anette Weyergang demonstrates the PCI technology to Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park

Granted PDT/PCI projects 2021

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Erna Solberg visits PCI Biotech

Radforsk Investment Foundation has granted five research projects a total amount of NOK 4,95 million to further develop exciting research projects within photodynamic treatment and photochemical internalization. Cancer researcher Pål Selbo receives NOK 3,75 million for his project.

Radforsk Investment Foundation is an evergreen investor focusing on companies that develop cancer treatment.

“Radforsk has invested NOK 205 million of its profit back into cancer research at Oslo University Hospital. Of these, NOK 32 million, have gone to research in PDT/PCI. This year, we grant five projects a total of NOK 4,95 million,” says Jónas Einarsson, CEO of Radforsk Investment Foundation.

Radforsk had received a total of six applications by the deadline of 15 January 2021. The applications have been assessed by external experts.

This year, one of the projects has been awarded a total of NOK 3,75 million over three years. It is a project led by researcher Pål Selbo at the Department of Cancer Research entitled “Novel Photobiological Strategies Counteracting Tumor Immune Escape”.

“This is exciting research aiming to apply PCI technology in the field of immunotherapy. Pål has extensive experience as a researcher in the field, so it’s fun that he went all the way to the top with this application,” says Einarsson.

Pål Kristian Selbo Project leader, Senior scientist; PhD

Pål Kristian Selbo,
Project leader, Senior scientist; PhD at Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital. Photo: Oslo University Hospital.

“It is fantastic and very motivating to receive such great support from Radforsk. This means that I can finally realize this project,” says Pål Selbo.

The researchers who have received funding for PDT/PCI research in 2021 are:

  • Anette Weyergang
  • Beáta Grallert
  • Mouldy Sioud
  • Pål Selbo
  • Petras Juzenas

PDT/PCI:

Cancer research in the field of photodynamic therapy and photochemical internalisation studies the use of light in direct cancer treatment in combination with drugs, or to deliver drugs that can treat cancer to cells or organs.

The team behind Hemispherian: (from left to right) Josipa Matić, Adam Robertson, Terezia Prikrylova, Zeno Albisser. Photo: Hemispherian

Hemispherian reaches new milestone

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Our member Hemispherian closed its first funding round and appointed Masha Strømme as Chair of the Board last week.

The Norwegian pre-clinical pharmaceutical company Hemispherian closed a successful seed financing round last week.

The recently acquired funds will go to financing the company’s activities over the next year, develop its pre-clinical pipeline and take its lead product into clinical development.

The seed financing round was led by PAACS Invest and Investinor who partnered with American and British investors.

Dr Masha Strømme from PAACS Invest has also been appointed to chair the Board of Directors.

“Hemispherian’s compelling pre-clinical data sets the stage for the first epigenetic therapeutic to target the activation of the TET2 enzyme resulting in increased 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) and selective cancer cell death. We look forward to contributing to building Hemispherian and moving its promising pipeline towards the clinic,” commented Dr Masha Strømme, Chair of the Board, Hemispherian.

Hemispherian is a start-up company working on the development of a new class of cancer therapeutics, which are targeted towards some of the most aggressive kinds of cancer. One of the cancer types the company is investigating a treatment for is glioblastoma multiforme, a form of brain cancer.

Hemispherian has been a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster since 2020.

For more information, please visit https://www.hemispherian.com

Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs, who has launched a new collaboration study in ovarian cancer with the Nordic Society of Gynaecological Oncology, the European Network of Gynaecological Oncological Trial Groups and AstraZeneca. Photo: Ultimovacs

New clinical study in ovarian cancer

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Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs

Our member Ultimovacs has announced a new Phase II clinical trial for ovarian cancer patients.

DOVACC is a new clinical study from Ultimovacs that will investigate the effect of combining the cancer vaccine UV1 with a checkpoint inhibitor and a PARP inhibitor in patients with ovarian cancer.

This is the first time this type of combination treatment is tested in a clinical study. Patients with advanced ovarian cancer, who have relapsed after receiving two rounds of chemotherapy treatment are eligible for the study.

The study will be sponsored by the Nordic Society for Gynaecological Oncology – Clinical Trial Unit (NSGO-CTU). This group is a part of the European Network of Gynaecological Oncological Trial Groups (ENGOT), which is also a part of the study.

“The collaboration with the NSGO-CTU and ENGOT is exciting for us as they are very experienced with conducting clinical trials in the field of gynaecological oncology. Their expertise and network will support the recruitment of patients at multiple participating study sites across Europe,” commented Jens Bjørheim, Chief Medical Officer at Ultimovacs.

The global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, will contribute with two different cancer drugs to the study. These include the checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab and the PARP inhibitor Olaparib.

Ultimovacs is evaluating the company’s universal cancer vaccine UV1 and has also received NOK 10 million from Innovation Norway.

“A key benefit of UV1 is its safety profile, which enables a triple combination study with a PD-L1 inhibitor and now for the first time also with a PARP inhibitor, in an indication in desperate need of new treatment options,” commented Carlos de Sousa, CEO of Ultimovacs.

“The evaluation of UV1, durvalumab and olaparib in this Phase II triple combination study is an important next step in changing the standard of care for patients with ovarian cancer,” added Dr. Mansoor Raza Mirza, Medical Director of the NSGO-CTU and Chair of the ENGOT.

DOVACC is a randomised study, which will include 184 patients. The study is divided into three control arms, or patient groups. The first group includes 46 patients who will receive PARP inhibitor. The second group includes 46 patients who will receive both the PARP inhibitor and the checkpoint inhibitor. The third group includes 92 patients who will receive UV1 and both AstraZeneca drugs.

The multi-centre study will be held at more than 30 hospitals in about 10 countries in Europe.

The first patient will be recruited during the first half of 2021 and results are expected in 2023.

Ultimovacs currently have a broad clinical development programme, with over 500 patients enrolled in Phase II trials.

Read more in the press release from Ultimovacs