Pfizer to develop phase II cancer vaccine
pharmafile | September 4, 2012 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Cancer, Pfizer, VLST, cancer vaccine
Pfizer has licensed a cancer compound which is ready for phase II study from a US firm specialising in cancer and autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.
Seattle-based biotech VLST Corporation says the anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody, called CP-870,893, has been looked at in “a number” of pre-clinical and clinical trials already.
The private firm, which completed $5 million of its second-round financing in June, says it will advance the compound into efficacy studies in oncology and is currently looking at “multiple” clinical opportunities.
Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer has co-exclusive rights to CP-870,893 as a cancer vaccine.
“We are excited to in-license this promising compound,” said VLST chief executive Martin Simonetti. “With the transfer of the IND from Pfizer, we will accelerate the development of our clinical strategy and expand our focus in immunotherapy to include oncology.”
The recent financing will help support VLST’s phase II clinical efforts, he added. CP-870,893’s safety profile, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic parameters and maximum tolerated dose of the antibody have been established, the company said.
Garry Nicholson, president of Pfizer Oncology, said: “VLST’s expertise in immunotherapy makes the company a strong partner to continue the development of this compound and potentially deliver a new therapy to patients with cancer.”
VLST, which has a long-standing partnership with Novo Nordisk, is touting a couple more projects as out-licensing opportunities.
The first of these is VLST-007, a dimeric protein comprised of human CD47 extracellular domain fused to the Fc portion of a human IgG1 molecule, for which it is ‘actively seeking’ a partner to continue development.
The second is VLST-002, a series of multi-reactive anti-chemokine antibodies for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Adam Hill
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