The novel cancer vaccine is specifically formulated to target the blood vessels that supply the tumor through induction of tumor autoimmunity and immune stimulation.
Batu Biologics scientific research vice president Andy Kim said that angiogenesis has proven to be a key factor in the proliferation of tumor cells within the host.
"Recent studies have revealed that without the formation of new blood vessels, tumors are unable to receive the blood supply they need to grow bigger than 1 to 2 mm in diameter. Testimony to the power of angiogenic blockade is the drug Avastin, which last quarter had sales of $1.6bn. Unfortunately, existing drugs that block angiogenesis only target specific pathways of this process, thus making them not universally applicable. An example of this is the withdrawal of FDA approval for treating metastatic breast cancer with Avastin in 20102. In contrast to previous approaches targeting cancer endothelium, Vallovax harnesses the power of the immune response, which allows for memory, specificity, and adaptability," Kim added.
The Vallovax platform builds upon the work of Dr Valentine Govallo. The ‘Govallo Vaccine’, an uncharacterized placenta-based cancer immunotherapy, exhibited remarkable rates of remission: 66.7% ten-year survival rates for lung cancer patients.
Through recent developments in cancer research, Batu Biologics has identified and isolated the cells found in the Govallo Vaccine that combat angiogenesis and metastasis in cancer and plan to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for non-small stage lung cancer to the FDA in 2014.