Targovax ASA (“Targovax” or “the Company”; OSE: TRVX), a clinical stage company focused on developing immuno-oncology therapies to target solid tumors, announces that the European Patent Office has granted European Patent no 3040320. The patent protects Targovax’ mutant-RAS specific neoantigen peptides, mutant RAS specific T cells and vaccines TG01 and TG02, for the treatment of cancer in combination with chemotherapies.
Jon Amund Eriksen, special advisor and Co-founder of Targovax, said: “We are delighted that this European patent has been granted, further strengthening Targovax’ intellectual property portfolio covering the very important mutant-RAS neoantigen and mutant-RAS specific T cells. The oncology market is ever expanding, with the immuno-oncology segment expected to see the largest growth in the coming years. Securing this patent protects our innovative mutant-RAS specific cancer immunotherapy platform and strengthens our market position for treatment of RAS-mutated cancers.”
Targovax’ proprietary mutant-RAS neoantigen vaccine platform is designed to treat patients with tumors harboring RAS mutations. Mutations in the RAS genes are a driving cause of cancer development and progression and is linked to poor prognosis. By inducing an anti-mutant-RAS specific immune response, TG01 and TG02 have the potential to delay disease progression and increase survival, with a favorable safety profile compared to chemotherapy and many other treatment options.
In the recently completed Phase I/II clinical trial TG01-01 in resected pancreatic cancer with TG01 treatment in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent gemcitabine, immune response was seen in 94% (30/32) of patients. The median survival was 33.4 months in the first cohort of 19 patients and median survival of the second cohort of 13 is not yet reached. The median disease-free survival was 13.9 months in the first cohort and 19.5 months in the second cohort, comparing favorably with historical controls of patients treated with gemcitabine alone.
