Recipharm has partnered with Swiss biotech CanVirex to develop a scalable manufacturing process for the company’s oncolytic measles virus platform, supporting its progression towards clinical development.
The CDMO has begun technology transfer of CanVirex’s Vero cell/measles virus manufacturing process as part of the collaboration.
The programme will focus on establishing a scalable bioreactor process using microcarrier culture.
CanVirex’s lead candidate is an IL-12-expressing oncolytic measles virus designed to target advanced solid tumours.
The company’s approach uses an engineered measles virus to both destroy tumour cells and stimulate local anti-tumour immune responses.
CanVirex has previously stated that it was preparing a Phase I/IIa study of the candidate, Mevacil, in patients with advanced-stage solid cancers.
Building a clinical manufacturing pathway
The collaboration initially involved feasibility studies covering cell and virus banking in static culture systems.
The partners will now move into process development and optimisation, with the longer-term objective of establishing a route to GMP manufacturing and clinical supply.
Recipharm said its experience with aseptic processing of large, difficult-to-filter viruses was a factor in CanVirex’s selection of the CDMO.
The work is being conducted at Recipharm’s Cuxhaven facility in Germany, which provides process development, cell and virus banking, viral vector and oncolytic virus manufacturing, analytical development and sterile fill and finish.
The 9300 m² site is a BSL-2 multi-product facility supporting advanced biologics from preclinical development through commercial readiness.
Recipharm has strengthened its virotherapy manufacturing capabilities through its acquisition of Vibalogics, which brought specialist expertise in oncolytic viruses, viral vaccines and gene therapies into its network.
The CanVirex collaboration also follows a separate 2026 agreement between Recipharm and German biotech Fusix Biotech to support the development and GMP manufacture of oncolytic virus-based cancer immunotherapies, highlighting the CDMO’s growing focus on viral oncology programmes.
