New appointment In Professor Shisong Jiang’s research group in the Department of Oncology brings further expertise to research applications for Recombinant Overlapping Peptides (ROPs)
Oxford, UK – 5th April 2023
Press Release – Oxford Vacmedix sponsors MRC i-Case studentship at University of Oxford
Oxford Vacmedix (OVM), the UK-based biopharma company focused on the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines, announced today the award of an MRC i-Case studentship to fund a new D.Phil. position in Professor Shisong Jiang’s research group in the Department of Oncology. The company will be the commercial sponsor for the award, giving the opportunity for the holder to learn translational medicine at first hand – from bench to patients. The i-Case studentship is awarded through the Oxford – Medical Research Council Doctoral Training Partnership.
The first appointee in this Doctoral Training Partnership is Zachary Rawlinson who completed his undergraduate degree in Medical Sciences at the University of Oxford with first-class honours. His project will focus on developing small molecule drugs that can enhance antigen presentation in cancer cells to make the cancer cells more visible for an immune response. The project will also collaborate with Professor Timothy Donohoe in the at Department of Chemistry who will be Zachary’s co-supervisor.
Zachary Rawlinson will join D.Phil. students Alexander Stephens, Yuqian Ou, Sichen Liu, Constantinos Demetriou and Hanjun Zhao, as well as M, Research student Yihan Zhou, in Professor Jiang’s research group. The group focuses on developing new understanding of the immunology and on new applications for the ROP technology.
Professor Shisong Jiang, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Oxford Vacmedix commented;
“I am delighted to welcome Zachary to the research team in the Department of Oncology. I am also very pleased that he will have the opportunity to see how research concepts get developed from the lab to clinical practice by working directly with the company. OVM-200, our lead cancer vaccine targeting survivin has completed the first part of a Phase 1 trial and we are very pleased with the results to date. Additional research expertise will help to develop further pipeline products which may be licensed by the University to OVM.”
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 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. ROPs have been validated as a technology to stimulate broad and strong T cell immunity therefore forming a good platform for therapeutic vaccines and diagnostics in cancer and infectious diseases.
The technology uses the novel, proprietary platform of ROPs to design and develop therapeutic cancer vaccines and diagnostics with the potential for increased efficacy, lower costs, simpler regulatory pathways and synergy when used in combination with other immune oncology (IO) agents. The company has extensive contacts and collaborations in China through Changzhou Bioscience Group (CBIG) that is using the ROP platform for diagnostics in both cancer and in infectious diseases.
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 cancer, and OVM-200 represents a new type of vaccine utilising survivin to target solid tumours including prostate, ovarian and non-small 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.
OVM secured Series A investment from Dx&Vx (formerly Cancer ROP), a leading South Korean biotech company, and from existing shareholders in China in 2018. The company is currently seeking Series B funding to advance OVM-200 to Phase 2 and OVM-100 into Phase 1 trials, as monotherapy and also in combination. In addition, the option of using MRNA delivery with the ROP technology will be explored.
For more information: https://www.oxfordvacmedix.com
About Medical Research Council Doctoral Training Partnerships
MRC DTPs provide funding for doctoral training across a broad research range relevant to MRC’s remit, strategic research and skills priorities. DTPs also provide a breadth of professional development training opportunities to enhance the capabilities of doctoral candidates and develop a world-class, highly skilled workforce for the UK.
MRC DTPs are awarded for multiple intake years of students and provide research organisations (ROs) with significant flexibility in the use of funds to support doctoral training aligned to the RO’s scientific strategy and strengths.
For more information: https://www.ukri.org