VBI to Present at the World Vaccine Congress Washington

March 29, 2016 | Conferences, Glioblastoma ("GBM"), Press Releases

New Data Supports the Use of VBI’s eVLP Vaccines in Combination with Checkpoint Inhibitors

VBI Vaccines Inc. (Nasdaq: VBIV) (“VBI”) is scheduled to present at the World Vaccine Congress Washington on Wednesday, March 30^th, 2016 at 12:10 PM ET. The event is being held at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C.

During the presentation, More Foreign than Neo: Harnessing the Power of Viral CMV Antigens in Cancer Vaccines, Dr. David E. Anderson, VBI’s Chief Scientific Officer, will summarize recent progress in VBI’s development of a glioblastoma multiforme (“glioblastoma” or “GBM”) immunotherapy. Dr. Anderson will also present new data that supports the use of VBI’s enveloped virus-like particle (“eVLP”) vaccines in synergistic combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibition. Download PresentationVBI has designed a bivalent eVLP vaccine to direct a potent immune response against cytomegalovirus (“CMV”) viral antigens that are frequently expressed in certain cancers, including breast and glioblastoma. In preclinical studies, VBI’s bilvalent eVLP vaccine stimulated strong T cell responses in GBM and breast cancer patient samples.

As additional proof of concept, VBI evaluated its bivalent eVLP vaccine alone and in combination with anti-PD-1 mAb, a checkpoint inhibitor, in ex vivo studies. The combination significantly increased IFN-γ secretion, suggesting improved T cell activity.

“Checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of many cancers by increasing a tumor’s vulnerability to immune attack,” said Dr. Anderson. “However, many patients lack the background anti-tumor immunity required to benefit from checkpoint inhibitors. Our therapeutic cancer vaccine uses CMV viral antigens that are expressed on tumors, and may be more easily recognized by the immune system, to direct a potent anti-tumor immune response. While early, we are excited about this preclinical data and the potential opportunity to improve outcomes in hard to treat cancers.”

Event Details

Event: World Vaccine Congress Washington
Date: Wednesday, March 30^th, 2016
Time: 12:10 PM ET
Location: Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C.
Event Website: http://bit.ly/wvc-2016

GBM Background

Glioblastoma is among the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumors in humans. In the U.S. alone, 12,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.¹ The current standard of care for treating GBM is surgical resection, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Even with aggressive treatment, GBM progresses rapidly and is exceptionally lethal, with median patient survival of less than 16 months.²

Targeted immunotherapy may provide a promising adjunct or alternative to conventional GBM treatment. Immunotherapy is a fundamentally different way of treating cancer that stimulates the patient’s immune system to resume its attack on tumors. While conventional therapies are non-specific and may damage surrounding normal tissues, targeted immunotherapy may offer a highly specific and potentially long-lasting treatment approach that leverages the immune system to protect against cancer.

A growing body of research has demonstrated that GBM tumors are susceptible to infection by cytomegalovirus, with over 90% of GBM tumors expressing CMV antigens.³ In addition, recent research has demonstrated that an anti-CMV dendritic cell vaccination regimen can extend overall survival in patients with glioblastoma.⁴ Thus, effective targeting of foreign viral CMV antigens may represent a potent and attractive strategy for a GBM immunotherapy.

To learn more about VBI’s GBM Immunotherapy Program, visit: https://www.vbivaccines.com/gbm/

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References

Dolecek TA, Propp JM, Stroup NE, et al. (2012) CBTRUS statistical report: Primary brain and central nervous system tumors diagnosed in the United States in 2005-2009. Neuro Oncol 14(suppl 5):v1–v49.
Johnson DR, O’neill BP. Glioblastoma survival in the United States before and during the temozolomide era. J Neurooncol. 2012;107(2):359-64.
Mitchell DA, Xie W, Schmittling R, et al. Sensitive detection of human cytomegalovirus in tumors and peripheral blood of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. Neuro-oncology. 2008;10(1):10-8.
Mitchell DA, Batich KA, Gunn MD, et al. Tetanus toxoid and CCL3 improve dendritic cell vaccines in mice and glioblastoma patients. Nature. 2015;519(7543):366-9.

About VBI Vaccines

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VBI Vaccines Inc. (“VBI”) is a biopharmaceutical company driven by immunology in the pursuit of powerful prevention and treatment of disease. Through its innovative approach to virus-like particles (“VLPs”), including a proprietary enveloped VLP (“eVLP”) platform technology, VBI develops vaccine candidates that mimic the natural presentation of viruses, designed to elicit the innate power of the human immune system. VBI is committed to targeting and overcoming significant infectious diseases, including hepatitis B, coronaviruses, and cytomegalovirus (CMV), as well as aggressive cancers including glioblastoma (GBM). VBI is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with research operations in Ottawa, Canada, and a research and manufacturing site in Rehovot, Israel.
VBI Investor and Media Contact

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Nicole Anderson
Director, Corporate Communications & IR
Phone: (617) 830-3031 x124
Email: info@vbivaccines.com
VBI Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking Information

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Certain statements in this press release that are forward-looking and not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). The Company cautions that such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may materially affect the Company’s results of operations. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including but not limited to, the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally; the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our clinical studies, manufacturing, business plan, and the global economy; the ability to establish that potential products are efficacious or safe in preclinical or clinical trials; the ability to establish or maintain collaborations on the development of therapeutic candidates; the ability to obtain appropriate or necessary governmental approvals to market potential products; the ability to obtain future funding for developmental products and working capital and to obtain such funding on commercially reasonable terms; the Company’s ability to manufacture product candidates on a commercial scale or in collaborations with third parties; changes in the size and nature of competitors; the ability to retain key executives and scientists; and the ability to secure and enforce legal rights related to the Company’s products. A discussion of these and other factors, including risks and uncertainties with respect to the Company, is set forth in the Company’s filings with the SEC and the Canadian securities authorities, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 5, 2020, and filed with the Canadian security authorities at sedar.com on March 5, 2020, as may be supplemented or amended by the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Given these risks, uncertainties and factors, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All such forward-looking statements made herein are based on our current expectations and we undertake no duty or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.