IRX Therapeutics signs cancer agreement with Japan’s NCRC
IRX-2 immunomodulator selected for use in proof-of-concept clinical trials in cancer indications
IRX Therapeutics, a US developer of novel immunomodulators to treat cancer and viral diseases, has agreed with Japan’s National Cancer Research Centre (NCRC) to evaluate next-generation peptide-based cancer vaccines.
NCRC will conduct clinical research, while IRX Therapeutics will provide its proprietary IRX-2 immunomodulatory regimen, clinical trial design and technical support. This is the first collaboration of its kind between the NCRC and a US-based biotechnology firm.
NCRC, a leading cancer treatment and research centre in Japan, performed a global search and evaluation of immunomodulators with high potential to enhance immune responses to a Wilms’ tumor gene (WT1) peptide-based cancer vaccine. WT1 is expressed at high levels in haematologic malignancies and also in various types of solid tumours. IRX Therapeutics’ IRX-2, is a cell-derived biologic that has been shown experimentally to be a broad spectrum and potent activator of immune cells.
The NCRC will run proof-of-concept clinical trials in at least two cancer indications. They will include a Phase 1 proof of concept trial and Phase 2 confirmation trials.
‘This collaboration is one of the most significant milestones achieved in the development of IRX-2, and we look forward to working with the NCRC on these important clinical programmes,’ said John Hadden, ceo of IRX Therapeutics. ‘There is increasing data demonstrating that therapeutic cancer vaccines can activate the immune system in cancer patients and mediate useful clinical activity.’
