ImmunoVaccine licenses cancer vaccine from Merck KGaA

ImmunoVaccine (TSX-V:IMV) has signed an agreement with Germany’s Merck KGaA to in-license EMD 640744, an investigational therapeutic survivin-based cancer vaccine designed to target multiple solid tumours and malignancies that target blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes.

The accord gives ImmunoVaccine exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize the survivin-based vaccine for multiple cancer indications. It will pay Merck success-based milestones and royalties as a percentage of product sales.

ImmunoVaccine said it will build on the current continuing Phase 1 study for EMD 640744 by formulating the survivin-based vaccine in its DepoVax delivery system. After some preclinical work, the combination vaccine is expected to proceed into Phases 1 and 2 clinical development.

“Merck is a global leader with a track record of successfully developing therapies for cancer and we are excited to be working with them on such a vaccine candidate,” ImmunoVaccine CEO Dr. Randal Chase said in a statement. “We look forward to expediting the clinical development of this EMD 640744-DepoVax combination, and expanding ImmunoVaccine’s vaccine pipeline.”