Important Milestone Reached for Evaxion Biotech’s EVX-01 Personalized Cancer Therapy
Evaxion Biotech A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX) announced the enrollment of its first patient in a global Phase 2b clinical trial for EVX-01, a personalized cancer therapy targeting melanoma. This trial, conducted in collaboration with Merck, aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EVX-01 alongside KEYTRUDA®. Earlier Phase 1/2a data showed that 67% of patients benefited from the combination treatment, with 22% achieving complete recovery. Interim topline data is anticipated in the second half of 2023, highlighting potential advancements in melanoma treatment.
- First patient enrolled in Phase 2b clinical trial for EVX-01.
- 67% of patients showed benefit from EVX-01 in earlier Phase 1/2a trial, a significant improvement over historical data.
- 22% of patients achieved complete response in the previous trial.
- Collaboration with Merck potentially adds credibility and resources to the clinical trial.
- None.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Evaxion Biotech A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX) (“Evaxion” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of AI-driven immunotherapies, reached an important milestone announcing today that it had enrolled its first patient in the global phase 2b clinical trial of EVX-01, the Company’s personalized cancer therapy for the treatment of melanoma.
In the company’s first phase 2b clinical trial, Evaxion is evaluating the efficacy and safety of EVX-01 in adults with metastatic melanoma. The trial is being conducted globally at clinical sites across the US, Europe, and Australia in collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc., which is supplying the trial with its PD-1 inhibitor, KEYTRUDA®.
Patients enrolled in the phase 2b clinical trial will receive standard of care treatment along with KEYTRUDA® in combination with EVX-01. Evaxion is responsible for the conduct of the trial and Merck will supply the required KEYTRUDA®. Evaxion and Merck will continue to collaborate as the data mature.
Erik Heegaard, Evaxion’s Chief Medical Officer, said:
“We are extremely proud to take EVX-01 into the next clinical development phase, enrolling our first patient in the clinic. We believe that this will help to support our efforts in developing new and more efficacious treatments for patients suffering from malignant melanoma. With this phase 2b trial, we are addressing a major unmet medical need in an indication that has become a multi-billion-dollar market. Together with our collaborators at Merck, we hope to further validate the promising data generated in our phase 1/2a study, which we believe may potentially pave the way for much needed improvement in the treatment landscape for melanoma and possibly other cancers.”
Background:
- EVX-01 is a novel personalized cancer immunotherapy based on Evaxion’s proprietary PIONEER™ AI technology, for the treatment of patients with melanoma.
- Data from the Phase 1/2a clinical trial of EVX-01 has shown that
67% of nine patients benefitted from EVX-01 in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor (KEYTRUDA®) for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, compared to the historical data of only40% benefiting from a PD-1 inhibitor alone 22% of the patients in the Phase 1/2a clinical trial achieved a complete response (full recovery) with EVX-01 in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor (KEYTRUDA®).- The first patient in the Phase 2b clinical trial has now been enrolled
- The Company anticipates interim topline data readout in H2 of 2023
- For further information, please refer to clinicaltrials.gov: KEYNOTE – D36 NCT05309421
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.
About Evaxion
Evaxion Biotech A/S is a clinical-stage biotech company developing AI-powered immunotherapies. With our proprietary and scalable AI technology, we decode the human immune system to discover and develop novel immunotherapies for cancer, bacterial diseases, and viral infections. Evaxion has a broad pipeline of novel product candidates, including three personalized cancer immunotherapies. It is located in Hørsholm, Denmark, and currently has 70 employees.
| For more information | |
| Evaxion Biotech A/S | LifeSci Advisors LLC |
| Erik Heegaard | Corey Davis, Ph.D. |
| Chief Medical Officer | Managing Director |
| ehe@evaxion-biotech.com | cdavis@lifesciadvisors.com |
| +45 20810282 | +1 (212) 915 2577 |
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