Medicen Paris Region and Invectys announce success in TelVac project for the research of a cancer vaccine candidate
The research project, led by Invectys and supported by Medicen Paris Region, allowed the optimization and improvement of the INVAC-1 vaccine candidate to accelerate clinical trials in solid tumors
Paris, November 29th, 2016 – Supported by Medicen Paris Region and piloted by Invectys, the TelVac project has achieved its goal: optimize the cancer vaccine candidate INVAC-1 to enable the production of a clinical batch to be used in clinical trial on solid tumor patients.
To optimize the oncology vaccine candidate, the consortium used several strategies in its preclinical phase, including optimizing the administration mode (electroporation developed by the CNRS), the study of molecular biomarkers (Pasteur), of immunologic biomarkers (Université de Franche-Comté) and the development of engineering analytical methods, and analytical and methodological tests (Bertin Pharma) for the study of the candidate on animal models.
These steps forward have led to tangible improvements and allowed the INVAC-1 product to be manufactured as a qualified product, as well as the validation of regulatory bio-distribution and toxicology. The consortium’s progress has allowed Invectys to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial in 2 cancer centers in the Paris region (Hôpital Saint-Louis and Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou), in solid tumor patients.
Medicen selected and supported the TelVac project which allowed partners to benefit from public funds: TelVac was financially supported by the French State, the Conseil Régional d’Ile-de-France, BPIfrance (ex-OSEO) and the Conseil Départemental du Val de Marne, within the framework of the Fonds Unique Interministériel (FUI) 12.
The concrete results of the work conducted by the consortium, supported by Medicen Paris Region and piloted by Invectys are:
- a Phase 1 clinical trial for a cancer vaccine,
- the filing of 4 patents,
- 5 scientific papers published,
- 10 jobs directly created,
- the indirect creation of approximately 10 additional jobs.
According to Béatrice Falise-Mirat, General Delegate for Medicen Paris Region, « Providing innovative therapies and particularly in immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer is a way for Medicen Paris Region to address the challenges of public health. »
« We are proud of the active support provided by Medicen’s competitiveness hub, and of the backing of financing organisms especially the Region Ile-de-France. This financial assistance allowed the TelVac project to succeed, and clinical studies for our therapeutic vaccine INVAC-1 to be conducted, » » announces Abderrahim Lachgar, manager for the TelVac project piloting committee and Invectys Chief Business Officer « The clinical trials on our INVAC-1 vaccine candidate are underway and the intermediary results are promising, demonstrating the efficiency of a targeted and intelligent public support towards research conducted by biotechnology companies. »
The TelVac consortium counts 5 partners:
- Invectys
- Bertin Pharma
- URA 3015 – Molecular retrovirology – CNRS – Institut Pasteur
- UMR 1098 – U 1098 – ex-U 645 – Graft-Host-Tumor interaction and Cell and Gene Engineering – EFS – INSERM – Université de Franche-Comté
- UMR 8203 – Vectorology and anti-cancer therapeutics – CNRS – Gustave Roussy – Integrated cancer research institute in Villejuif – Université Paris-Sud
About Invectys
Founded in 2010 at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, Invectys SA is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative immuno-oncology treatments. Invectys has raised €38 million. The company has developed a broad pipeline including one platform designed to provide low cost easy-to administer cancer therapies, alone or in combination with other treatments as immune checkpoints antibodies. Invectys products aim to enlist and restoring natural antitumor efficacy from cancer patients.
For more information, please visit www.invectys.com
About Medicen Paris Region – www.medicen.org
Labelled in 2005, Medicen Paris Region is a global competitiveness hub mobilizing companies, public research and education academics and local government organisms around a commun ambition : make the Ile-de-France region the European industrial leader in the fields of tomorrow’s healthcare – personalized and precision medicine – through the main development lines: biotechnology, medical and digital technologies. Counting over 280 members, its mission is to accelerate the development of innovative SMEs by supporting their economic activity and international strategy; to facilitate relationships between the actors of innovation in Ile-de-France; to promote the Ile-de-France region as a factory for products for international markets and to reinforce the visibility and competitiveness of an ecosystem that accounts for over 50% of French Life Sciences. As a catalyst for this ecosystem, it works with the national and regional healthcare innovation actors. Since the hub’s creation, , 284 projects were supported and financed by the French State (through the Fonds Unique Interministériel), bpifrance/ISI, l’ANR, le FEDER, le Grand Emprunt and/or by local authorities / the Region Ile-de-France for a total investment of €1,18 billion and €529 million in public funding and 49 new products commercialized in the fields of medical device imaging and biological tools.
Contact Presse :
Invectys – Acorelis – Gilles Petitot – gilles.petitot@acorelis.com – +33 (0)6 20 27 65 94
Medicen : medicen@medicen.org
