On March 6, 2023 Virion Therapeutics, LLC, a clinical-stage biotech company focused on the development of novel, adaptable, and accessible CD8+ T cell-based technologies focused on cancers and infectious diseases, reported data of a genetically encoded checkpoint modifier-based immunotherapy, which enhances CD8+ T cell activation, in a fast-growing preclinical tumor model at the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Target Anticancer Therapies Congress in Paris France (Press release, Virion Biotherapeutics, MAR 6, 2023, View Source [SID1234628219]).

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Top line results, following a single intramuscular injection of this novel immunotherapy include:

Enhanced immune responses (10- to 15-fold) to oncogenic antigens
At study completion, 100% survival (n=30/30), 100% initial tumor clearance (n=30/30), and 93% of animals were tumor free (n=28/30)
In contrast, all mice treated with a control vaccine experienced rapid tumor growth and death by Day 30 (n=20)
These results were durable and reproducible across multiple treatment groups and studies
"Glycoprotein D (gD), when genetically expressed as a fusion protein with antigen(s) of choice, enhances, broadens, and prolongs CD8+ T cell responses. In this preclinical model of fast-growing HPV-16-associated tumors, a gD-based immunotherapy against HPV-16 provided incredibly strong protection against tumor growth and death," said Hildegund Ertl, MD, Professor, Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, at The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia PA and Scientific Co-Founder of Virion Therapeutics. "Targeting different checkpoints of early T cell activation represents a novel approach to overcoming T cell impairments during tumor progression and these data further support its potential application, alone or in combination with other checkpoint inhibitors, for a wide range of cancers."

"These preclinical oncology data demonstrated treatment responses which were profound, durable, and reproducible – and show clear differentiation to any other immunotherapy or vaccine in development. We are excited to be advancing our checkpoint modifier pipeline, not only with IND-enabling activities for our oncology program, but also, VRON-0200, for chronic HBV, which is heading to the clinic this summer," said Andrew Luber, Pharm.D., President, and chief executive officer of Virion.

Presentation Details

Presentation Title: "Therapeutic vaccination with HPV-16 proteins fused into a checkpoint modifier or early T cell activation protects against HPV-associated tumors in a preclinical model." Poster #36P

Abstract Number: 277

Presenting Author: Sue Currie, PhD

Presentation Date: March 6, 2023

The above presentation is available via the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) TAT meeting website, View Source, and on Virion’s website at View Source

About Genetically Encoded Checkpoint Modifiers (gCPM)

Virion is developing a series of novel gCPMs which act at different stages of T cell activation. The lead gCPM, glycoprotein D (gD), works by blocking an inhibitory signal of early activation (e.g., BTLA/CD160), thereby allowing a co-stimulatory signal to predominate (e.g., LIGHT) – the resultant CD8+ T cells that are induced to the target antigen(s) are enhanced, broadened and prolonged and they are more resistant to becoming impaired over time. This novel mechanism of early checkpoint modification that acts locally at the onset of the immune response has shown promising therapeutic efficacy in several settings, including animal models of fast and slow growing tumors, with viral or human cancer antigens, in young and older animals, and when inserted into DNA or adenovirus vaccine delivery platforms (both human and chimpanzee).