IMV Inc. (IMV) (Nasdaq: IMV; TSX: IMV), a clinical stage
immuno-oncology corporation, today announced that Canadian
bioresearch consortium CQDM has awarded a grant to a collaboration
among IMV, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval,
and La Fondation du CHU de Québec (FCHUQc).
Under the leadership of Yves Fradet, M.D., professor of surgery
and researcher in cancer immunotherapy, and his team, in
collaboration with IMV’s team , this project will receive a grant
of up to CAN$1.2M from CQDM and CAN$300,000 from the FCHUQc, to
develop a novel dual target T cell therapy for an initial clinical
application in bladder cancer.
The work will target immunogenic peptides identified by Dr
Fradet’s team from the MAGE protein family member A9 (MAGE-A9).
This protein is frequently expressed in various human cancers
including bladder, lung, and kidney.1 These peptides will be
combined with selected immunogenic peptides from the survivin
protein composing the DPX-Survivac T cell drug candidate.
The researchers believe that MAGE-A9 and survivin peptides
presented on the surface of cancer cells can be used to program T
cells to destroy tumors and may represent ideal targets for
anti-cancer T cell immunotherapies. The collaborators will combine
these peptides with IMV’s proprietary DPX technology to develop a
first-in-class dual target T cell therapy (DPX-SurMAGE).
“We believe that DPX is a truly disruptive technology that
enables us to program T cells in vivo in a novel way, and we are
grateful that CQDM and its funding partner the Quebec Ministry of
Economy and Innovation, along with the FCHUQc, are willing to
support this highly innovative program,” said Stéphan Fiset, Vice President, Clinical Research at
IMV. “Our goal remains to expand the range of patients able
to benefit from T cell immunotherapies. This program provides an
opportunity for us to collaborate with Dr. Fradet’s team and other
experts in the bladder cancer field to advance a potential new
candidate for the many patients whose current treatment options are
limited.”
DPX-SurMAGE will be initially evaluated in preclinical studies.
Upon successful completion of these preclinical evaluations,
researchers are aiming to test the candidate in two clinical
studies in patients with:
- Muscle invasive bladder cancer combined
with an anti-PD-1 and intermittent low-dose cyclophosphamide (CPA)
prior to cystectomy
- Low-grade highly recurrent non muscle
invasive bladder cancer combined with CPA prior to transurethral
resection
“Bladder cancer remains a significant unmet medical need and we
believe that a novel T cell therapy directed against two cancer
targets that are expressed in the majority of bladder tumors may
improve outcomes, particularly for those who are at higher risk of
recurrence and progression,” said Dr. Fradet. “We are pleased to be
working under the support of CQDM and the FCHUQc with our partner
IMV, and its novel clinical development approach, to advance the
options in this cancer, which has already shown promising response
to immunotherapy. This project contributes to position the Centre
de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval as a leader in
medical innovation.”
The project is expected to span a three-year period and will be
supported by IMV, CQDM and FCHUQc. As part of the collaboration
agreement, IMV holds an exclusive option to in-license intellectual
property related to the program.
About IMV
IMV Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated
to making immunotherapy more effective, more broadly applicable,
and more widely available to people facing cancer and other serious
diseases. IMV is pioneering a new class of immunotherapies based on
the Company’s proprietary drug delivery platform. This patented
technology leverages a novel mechanism of action that enables the
programming of immune cells in vivo, which are aimed at
generating powerful new synthetic therapeutic capabilities. IMV’s
lead candidate, DPX-Survivac, is a T cell-activating immunotherapy
that combines the utility of the platform with a target: survivin.
IMV is currently assessing DPX-Survivac as a monotherapy in
advanced ovarian cancer, as well as a combination therapy in
multiple clinical studies with Merck. Connect
at www.imv-inc.com.
About CQDM
CQDM is a biopharma-based research consortium created in 2008
with the mission to fund the development of innovative technologies
to accelerate drug discovery and development. Its business model is
based on a collaborative approach bringing together world-leading
pharmaceutical organizations, Canadian biotech companies as well as
the Canadian and Quebec governments who share the costs of the
research. CQDM uses this leverage to reduce the risks inherent to
early-stage biopharmaceutical research. In doing so, CQDM bridges
the funding gap needed to drive innovation across the academic and
private sectors, especially where early-stage research is
concerned. Over the last 10 years, CQDM has benefited from the
contribution of 13 industrial members: that includes Merck, Pfizer,
AstraZeneca as founding members as well as Boehringer Ingelheim,
Eli Lilly Canada, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Novartis Pharma Canada,
Roche, Sanofi Canada, Servier, Takeda and Amgen.
CQDM also received contributions from Quebec’s Ministry of
Economy and Innovation (MEI) and from the Government of Canada
under the Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence
Program
(BL-NCE). Since 2008, CQDM has supported the development of 64
outstanding innovative technologies totaling $68 M in funding.
These R&D projects carried out by 1,200 scientists from 69
different research institutions (38 public and 31 private) across
Canada, have generated numerous economic benefits for all the
stakeholders of the life science ecosystem.
About CHU de Québec-Université Laval and Centre de recherche
du CHU de Québec-Université Laval
Bringing together the CHUL, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Hôpital
de l'Enfant-Jésus, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement and Hôpital
Saint-François d'Assise, the CHU de Québec-Université
Laval is the most important academic health care center in
Québec and one of the largest in Canada. Providing general and
specialized care, but especially sub specialized, the CHU de
Québec-Université Laval serves the population of eastern
Québec, a pool of nearly two million people. Closely linked to
Université Laval and oriented towards the future, it also has a
mission of teaching, research in many fields of excellence and
evaluation of technologies and modes of intervention in health. The
CHU de Québec-Université Laval has more than 12,500 employees,
1,500 physicians, dentists and pharmacists, 343 regular and
associate researchers, 169 affiliated researchers, as well as 850
graduate students and 425 volunteers. www.chudequebec.ca
With nearly $102 M in research fundings, the Centre de recherche
du CHU de Québec-Université Laval is the largest French-language
health research center in North America and ranks ninth in Canada
according to Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals 2018. It has also
been rated “Exceptional“ by the Fonds de recherche du Québec –
Santé (FRQS) following its most recent evaluation, in 2018.
IMV Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking information under
applicable securities law. All information that addresses
activities or developments that we expect to occur in the future is
forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are based
on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the
statements are made. However, they should not be regarded as a
representation that any of the plans will be achieved. Actual
results may differ materially from those set forth in this press
release due to risks affecting the Corporation, including access to
capital, the successful completion of clinical trials and receipt
of all regulatory approvals. IMV Inc. assumes no
responsibility to update forward-looking statements in this press
release except as required by law. These forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and those risks
and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our ability to
access capital, the successful and timely completion of clinical
trials, the receipt of all regulatory approvals and other risks
detailed from time to time in our ongoing quarterly filings and
annual information form. Investors are cautioned not to rely on
these forward-looking statements and are encouraged to read IMV’s
continuous disclosure documents, including its current annual
information form, as well as its audited annual consolidated
financial statements which are available on SEDAR
at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR
at www.sec.gov/edgar.
1 Bergeron A., Picard V, LaRue H et al. High frequency of
expression of MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A9 in High Risk Bladder Cancer. Int.
J. Cancer 2009; 125:1365. doi: 10.1002/ijc.24503.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190318005057/en/
Contact for CQDM:
Diane GosselinPh. D., MBA, ASC,President and CEOO: (514)
766-6661 x 2191E: dgosselin@cqdm.org
Contacts for IMV Inc:
Media:Andrea Cohen, Sam Brown Inc.O: (917)
209-7163E: andreacohen@sambrown.com
Investor Relations :Marc Jasmin, IMV Senior
Director, Investor Relations and CommunicationsO: (902) 492-1819
ext :1042M: (514) 917-9481E: mjasmin@imv-inc.com
Patti Bank, Managing Director, Westwicke PartnersO: (415)
513-1284M: (415) 515-4572E: patti.bank@westwicke.com
Contact for the Centre de recherche du
CHU de Québec-Université Laval:
Kim Tardif, Communications AdvisorO: (418) 525-4387E: Kim.tardif@crchudequebec.ulaval.ca
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