Targovax announces that the US Patent and Trademark Office has granted US Patent no 9,757,439, which protects Targovax’ mutant-RAS specific neoantigen vaccines, TG01 and TG02, for the treatment of cancer in combination with anti-metabolite chemotherapy.

“We are delighted that this US patent has been granted, further strengthening Targovax’ intellectual property portfolio covering the very important mutant-RAS neoantigen. The oncology market is ever expanding, with the immuno-oncology segment expected to see the largest growth in the coming years. Securing this patent protects our innovative mutant-RAS specific cancer immunotherapy platform and strengthens our market position for treatment of RAS-mutated cancers,” said Jon Amund Eriksen, Chief Technology Innovation Officer, and Co-founder of Targovax.

Targovax’ mutant-RAS neoantigen vaccine platform is designed to treat patients with tumors harboring RAS mutations. Mutations in the RAS genes are a driving cause of cancer development and progression, and is linked to poor prognosis. By inducing an anti-mutant-RAS specific immune response, TG01 and TG02 have the potential to delay disease progression and increase survival, with a favorable safety profile compared to chemotherapy and many other treatment options.

In the recently completed main cohort of a Phase I/II clinical trial in resected pancreatic cancer with TG01 treatment in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent gemcitabine, immune response was seen in 95% (18/19) of patients. The median survival was 33.1 months, which is encouraging compared to the recently reported 27.6 months median survival for patients treated with gemcitabine alone. The second cohort of this trial, consisting of 13 patients on a dosing regimen with fewer TG01 injections, will read out in 2018.