Oncolytic measles virus-vectored platform for cancer immunotherapy and COVID-19 vaccination

Versatility of CanVirex's platform technology

Measles vaccine vectors as transgene delivery platform

CanVirex’s measles vector-based platform represents a highly promising technology for cancer immunotherapy and vaccine development against infectious diseases, e.g. COVID-19. Our technology allows us to genetically modify measles viruses with a so called transgene – a therapeutic snippet of genetic code – that is inserted into the virus genome. When these modified viruses are administered to a patient, they selectively infect and reproduce in target cells. Depending on the transgene, the viral vector can be used for cancer therapy (by encoding immunotherapeutics) or for vaccination (by encoding pathogen-specific antigens).

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Translational program

Our development is based on a strong scientific rationale. Especially in oncology, every cancer patient has unique therapeutic challenges which needs to be addressed in a personalized approach. Thus, it is of major importance to run accompanying translational research that will give us information on the clinical performance of the investigated drug in a given cancer patient.

As a first step, a study testing our lead oncolytic measles virus candidate for clinical proof of concept will be initiated in 2021. The translational program, supported by CanVirex, routinizes testing of molecular signatures and predictive biomarkers.

Results from the first translational program will allow for a personalized therapeutic approach by rational selection of cancer patients in following clinical trials.

CanVirex featured in

“Viruses can cause severe, even malignant diseases. However, they can be converted into effective cancer immunotherapy.”

in Nature Magazine​
The CanVirex platform deploys the oncolytic properties of recombinant measles vectors for innovative cancer treatments. In addition it has now provided a novel COVID-19 vaccine candidate that is approaching clinical trials.

Contact

CanVirex AG operates out of its headquarter in Basel, Switzerland. Research and clinical activities related to CanVirex’s pipeline are performed at the Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany.