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news.Immune Design, a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on the development of novel immune-based therapies for cancer and other chronic conditions, has announced that the application of its GLAAS discovery platform in the Phase 1 clinical trial of MEDI7510, an investigational agent for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being developed by MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca.
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MEDI7510 is composed of MedImmune’s RSV sF antigen plus GLA, a synthetic molecule licensed from Immune Design’s GLAAS discovery platform.
This follows an existing agreement between the two companies, in which Immune Design granted MedImmune an exclusive license to use GLA to develop and commercialize vaccines in three different infectious disease indications, one of which is RSV. The parties have not disclosed the other two indications.
The Phase 1a, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cohort escalation study (NCT02115815) is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of a single ascending intramuscular dose of MEDI7510 or placebo in adults 60 years or older who are healthy or who have stable, underlying medical conditions.
The trial is expected to enroll 144 patients at several clinical centers in the United States.
"We are pleased to see another potential therapy progressing in the clinic that includes GLA," said Carlos Paya, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer at Immune Design. "While we are pursuing product candidates from GLAAS in immuno-oncology, the platform also holds promise in infectious, allergic and autoimmune diseases, and we plan to continue to explore additional collaborations outside of oncology."
Immune Design’s GLAAS platform works in vivo and is based on a small synthetic molecule called GLA, which stands for glucopyranosyl lipid adjuvant. GLA selectively binds to the TLR4 receptor and causes potent activation of dendritic cells.
When GLA is accompanied by an antigen and injected into a patient, the combination is taken up by DCs and leads to the production and expansion of immune cells called CD4 T helper lymphocytes.
These CD4 cells play a key role in boosting the anti-tumor immune response by expanding the number and function of existing CTLs that are specific to the same antigen; and providing help to other immune cells, including B lymphocytes that are the precursor to antibodies, and natural killer cells that are also important in the overall immune response.
Immune Design believes that GLAAS product candidates have the potential to target multiple types of cancer, as well as infectious, allergic and autoimmune diseases.