ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaccinex, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCNX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a differentiated approach to treating cancer and neurodegenerative disease through the inhibition of SEMA4D, today announced the signing of several proprietary project agreements with Amgen, Merck, Chugai, Absci, Gigagen (Grifols), Merus, Soleil, ThirdArc and Incyte, employing Vaccinex’s ActivMAb® technology to generate antibodies to complex antigen targets. In addition, Vaccinex has signed agreements to provide Charles River Labs, OmniAb, Adimab and other undisclosed strategic partners with materials to facilitate their antibody discovery programs using transgenic animal species for immunization or very large synthetic antibody libraries. The financial terms of the agreements are undisclosed.

Vaccinex’s proprietary ActivMAb® Technology enables expression of functional, properly folded complex proteins such as GPCRs and Ion Channels on the relatively simple membrane of poxvirus providing a source of antigen for various antibody discovery strategies. These strategies may involve development of antibody and antibody-based immunotherapies including bi-specifics, antibody drug conjugates (ADC), CAR-T cells, T cell engagers, etc. “Our technology is a powerful component of antibody discovery strategies targeting complex membrane proteins and enables both our own R&D efforts and those of our partners,” said Ernest Smith, Chief Scientific Officer of Vaccinex. “These agreements and partnerships with established companies underscore ActivMAb’s unique ability to address previously hard to drug targets in a format ideally suited for antibody discovery.”

Vaccinex will present data and examples of successful antibody discovery campaigns against potential oncology targets using the ActivMab Technology at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s 29^th Annual Meeting held November 8-10, 2024, in Houston, TX.

About ActivMAb^®

ActivMAb is a proprietary antibody discovery platform developed by Vaccinex with unique capabilities for important multi-pass membrane targets such as G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ion channels. The ActivMAb technology has multiple applications including discovery of antibodies specific for complex membrane antigens, discovery of antibodies with optimized developability, and protein optimization for expression and activity. Its novel capabilities enable selection of unique antibody drugs against difficult high-value targets, including multi-pass membrane proteins against which small molecule drugs have demonstrated low efficacy or high toxicity. The first clinical candidate selected through use of this technology (CHS-114, a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting CCR8), is in clinical development for cancer immunotherapy by Coherus Biosciences, Inc.

About Vaccinex Inc. 

Vaccinex, Inc. is pioneering a differentiated approach to treating slowly progressive neurodegenerative diseases and cancer through the inhibition of semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D). The Company’s lead drug candidate, pepinemab, blocks SEMA4D, a potent biological effector that it believes triggers damaging inflammation in chronic diseases of the brain and prevents infiltration and activation of immune cells in tumors. Pepinemab is being studied as a monotherapy in the Phase 1b/2 SIGNAL-AD study in Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Company has previously published promising Phase 2 data in Huntington’s disease. Because it is well-tolerated, pepinemab could be an important contributor to combination therapy in AD. In oncology, pepinemab is being evaluated in combination with KEYTRUDA® in the Phase 1b/2 KEYNOTE-B84 study in recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (HNSCC) and in combination with BAVENCIO® in a Phase 1b/2 study in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The oncology clinical program also includes several investigator-sponsored studies in solid tumors including breast cancer and melanoma.

Vaccinex has global commercial and development rights to pepinemab and is the sponsor of the KEYNOTE-B84 study which is being performed in collaboration with Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, a subsidiary of Merck and Co, Inc.  Kenilworth, NJ, USA. Additional information about the study is available at: clinicaltrials.gov.

KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co. Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. BAVENCIO®/avelumab is provided by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, previously as part of an alliance between the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer.

Forward Looking Statements

To the extent that statements contained in this presentation are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Vaccinex, Inc. (“Vaccinex,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), they are forward-looking statements reflecting management’s current beliefs and expectations. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, ability to capitalize on, expectations and objectives with respect to the “Antigen Virus” applications of the ActivMab® platform, and other statements identified by words such as “believe,” “being,” “could,” “will,” “potential,” and similar expressions or their negatives (as well as other words and expressions referencing future events, conditions, or circumstances). Forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome of our research and pre-clinical development programs, clinical development programs, future results, performance, or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, uncertainties inherent in the execution, cost and completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials, that interim and preliminary data may not be predictive of final results and does not ensure success in later preclinical studies and clinical trials, uncertainties related to regulatory approval, risks related to our dependence on our lead product candidate pepinemab, the possible delisting of our common stock from Nasdaq if we are unable to regain compliance with the Nasdaq listing standards, and other matters that could affect our development plans or the commercial potential of our product candidates. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement, see the section titled “Risk Factors” in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s annual year-end Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the SEC.

Investor Contact                                        

Elizabeth Evans, PhD

Chief Operating Officer, Vaccinex, Inc.

(585) 271-2700

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