Genetically modified derivatives of the chimeric oncolytic virus (OV) CF33 have previously shown cancer selectivity and oncolytic potency against various solid tumors.
Transgene SA has received clinical trial application (CTA) approval from the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) to proceed with a phase I trial of TG-6050, a novel oncolytic virus (OV) for intravenous administration in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Enrollment is expected to open in the first half of this year.
Accession Therapeutics Ltd. has raised £16.6 million (US$20.3 million) in a series A round, as it prepares to take two targeted oncolytic/payload combination viruses into the clinic. At the same time, the company disclosed that the scientist who devised the tumor-only targeting mechanism is Alan Parker, professor of translational virotherapies at Cardiff University.
Therapy delivery and the physicians who administer them are keys in CG Oncology Inc.’s drive to develop bladder cancer treatments. The company, which just closed an oversubscribed $120 million series E financing to continue on the development path, has its lead oncolytic immunotherapy, CG-0070, intravesically delivered via a catheter, in the clinic.
Newco Vacv Biotherapeutics Ltd. has raised $3 million in a seed round to complete preclinical development of next-generation oncolytic viruses that are engineered to overcome previous shortcomings of this modality.
Stratosvir Ltd. aims to overcome the drawbacks experienced with oncolytic viruses, using technology based around vaccinia viruses that allow for a systemic injection and with a larger payload capacity. Stratosvir was started up by CEO Chris Ullman and co-founder Antonio Postigo in 2020 with funding from Cancer Research UK and the Deep Science Ventures, tasked with finding new ways of treating solid tumors.
Immuno-oncology company Imugene Ltd. announced an AU$80 million (US$53.9 million) capital raise that will allow the company to add additional studies within its immuno-oncology pipeline as well as pursue potential licensing opportunities. The funds raised will allow the company to interrogate its pipeline further in other indications or combinations, Imugene CEO Leslie Chong told BioWorld. “There’s a lot we could do with our current pipeline, and now our cashflow is greatly extended.”
Immuno-oncology company Imugene Ltd. announced an AU$80 million (US$53.9 million) capital raise that will allow the company to add additional studies within its immuno-oncology pipeline as well as pursue potential licensing opportunities. The funds raised will allow the company to interrogate its pipeline further in other indications or combinations, Imugene CEO Leslie Chong told BioWorld. “There’s a lot we could do with our current pipeline, and now our cashflow is greatly extended.”
Tilt Biotherapeutics Ltd. has closed a €10 million (US$10.7 million) round, enabling it to start two phase II trials of its armed oncolytic virus, TILT-123, in combination with checkpoint inhibitor drugs.
It’s been more than six years since the FDA’s first approval of an oncolytic virus – Amgen Inc.’s melanoma drug Imlygic (talimogene laherparepvec) – and it’s easy to argue that progress in the field has been overshadowed by success with other immunotherapy types such as checkpoint inhibitors. Though the FDA hasn’t approved any more oncolytic viruses since then, Phoenix-based Oncomyx Therapeutics Inc. is one of several companies trying to change that.
