Prostate Cancer Research’s Proven Connect supports grant application and facilitates additional funding for the clinical development of OVM’s lead cancer vaccine, OVM-200.
Oxford – 31st July 2024
Press Release – Oxford Vacmedix announces grant from Innovate UK for OVM-200 clinical trial
Oxford Vacmedix (OVM), developing therapeutic cancer vaccines, announced today the grant of a prestigious non-dilutive Investor Partnership Award from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to support the clinical development of OVM-200. The application was supported by Proven Connect, with additional funding from Prostate Cancer Research when the award is made. The award demonstrates the confidence that Innovate UK have in OVM’s Recombinant Overlapping Peptide (ROP) technology and in the early clinical results with OVM-200.
OVM-200 is OVM’s lead cancer vaccine, developed using the novel ROP techonogy pioneered by Professor Shisong Jiang at the University of Oxford. It targets survivin which is over expressed in many solid tumours, and is being trialled in the UK in five leading hospitals, to treat ovarian cancer, prostate cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Phase 1a, the first part of a Phase 1 trial, was completed in 2023 and demonstrated both safety and a very strong immune response as well as allowing the selection of the optimal dose regime of OVM-200 for use to treat late stage cancer. Phase 1b using the dose selected is ongoing.
The Innovate UK Investor Partnership Award is for $900,000 (approx. £740,000) and is dependent on aligned investor funding of at least $1.8m (approx. £1.5m). The Proven Connect funding from Prostate Cancer Research will be in addition to the award from Innovate UK. OVM is currently seeking Series B investment of up to $15m to take OVM-200 into Phase 2 in combination and to accelerate other pipeline projects.
William Finch, CEO of Oxford Vacmedix said;
“We are delighted to have this non-dilutive Investor Partnership Award from Innovate UK and with the ongoing support from Proven Connect. The award shows the confidence that the UK’s innovation agency have both in our ROP technology and in the early clinical results for OVM-200. Continuing the clinical development for OVM-200 will bring hope to many patients and has the potential to meet real clinical need. We are confident of securing investment in our Series B fund and look forward to any additional contacts with potential investors.”
ENDS
For more information or to express an interest in investing in Series B please contact:
William Finch, CEO, Oxford Vacmedix
T: +44 (0)1865 742087 | M: +44(0)7769 903711 | E: wfinch@oxfordvacmedix.com
Dr Anthony Coombs, Executive Chairman, Oxford Vacmedix
T: +44 (0)1865 742087 | M: +44(0)7919 002161 | E: acoombs@oxfordvacmedix.com
Notes to Editor
About Oxford Vacmedix
Oxford Vacmedix UK Ltd, based at the Oxford Science Park, UK, is a clinical stage bio-pharma company that was spun out from the University of Oxford’s Department of Oncology and is utilising the novel proprietary platform technology of recombinant overlapping peptides (ROPs) invented by Professor Shisong Jiang.
OVM is developing two lead vaccines, OVM-100 and OVM-200, focusing on unmet clinical need. OVM-100 is an HPV vaccine targeted at cervical and head & neck cancer, and OVM-200 represents a new type of vaccine utilising survivin to target solid tumours including prostate, ovarian and nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Both vaccines will be tested as single agents and in combination with IO agents. OVM has a strong pipeline, with a diagnostic for anti-microbial resistance being tested and two other cancer vaccines is preclinical development.