January, 2019 –VCN Biosciences, a clinical–stage company developing oncolytic immuno-oncology products, is pleased toannounce that a Phase 1 trial investigating its product VCN-01in combination with Durvalumab (MEDI4736),Astra-Zeneca’s anti-PD-L1 therapy,has recently obtained regulatory approval.
Thestudy, sponsored by the Institut Català d’Oncologia (ICO)issupported by VCNand has Astra Zeneca as partnerof choice.The trial will be conducted atthe Institut Català d’Oncologia (ICO) and the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), and itis designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and clinical activity of the combination of VCN-01and Durvalumabusing different schedulesin patients with recurrent/metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.
VCN-01 is an innovativeconditionally replicative oncolytic adenovirus expressing PH20 hyaluronidase. Expression of hyaluronidase from VCN-01 facilitates virus penetration and decreases intratumorfluid pressure, enhancing antibodyup-take. In addition, VCN-01 capsid has been modified to allow the virus to partially evade liver tropism and target selectively the tumor after intravenous administration.Durvalumab is a human monoclonal antibody (mAb) of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) 1 kappa subclass that inhibits binding of PD-L1. The proposed mechanism of action (MOA) for durvalumab is interference in the interaction of PD-L1 with PD-1 and CD80 (B7.1). Blockade of PD-L1/PD-1 and PD-L1/CD80 interactions releases the inhibition of immune responses, including those that may result in tumor elimination
“We are committed to helping patients resistant to antibody-based immunotherapies”said ManelCascallo, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of VCN Biosciences. “After having seen that VCN-01 is able to modify tumor matrix after systemic administration in patients, this combination has the potential to overcome the observed resistance to PD1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitorsand offer patients an improved therapeutic benefit in a disease population where there is a clear unmet need”.
About VCN Biosciences
VCN Biosciences is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company focused on the development ofthenext generation of oncolytic adenoviruses. VCN candidates are designed to obtain clinical activity after systemic administration and are able to remodel the complex matrix in the tumor to allow enhanced spreading of therapeutic molecules and the immune system. VCN Biosciences lead product, VCN-01, is a oncolytic adenovirus with unique characteristics being studied in clinical trials for cancersfor which there is no cure, includingpancreatic carcinoma and retinoblastoma. For more information, please visit www.vcnbiosciences.com.