World-class immunologist to advise Oxford Vacmedix on development of novel cancer vaccines.
Oxford Vacmedix, a UK-based biopharma company focused on the development of cancer vaccines, announced today that Professor Sir Andrew McMichael will join the company’s Scientific Advisory Council.
Sir Andrew is an immunologist, Emeritus Professor, former Professor of Molecular Medicine, and previously Director of the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford. He was a pioneer in T cell research and has particular expertise in the field of T cell responses to viral infections and in vaccine development.
After his PhD in immunology at the National Institute for Medical Research, Sir Andrew McMichael completed his postdoctoral research at Stanford University before returning to the UK to study the T cell response to HIV infection. His research group created two HIV vaccines that were tested in phase I clinical trials. Sir Andrew became the Director of the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine in 2000, and remained so until 2012. He founded the MRC Human Immunology Unit in 1998 and was Honorary Director until 2010. He was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1992 and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 1998. He received a knighthood for his services to medical sciences in 2008. He has supervised over 50 PhD students, many of whom have gone on to senior scientific positions, and has well over 500 publications in the field of immunology and vaccine development.
Dr Shisong Jiang, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Oxford Vacmedix, said:
“We are very pleased to welcome Sir Andrew to our Scientific Advisory Council as we are building the company, both to advance our innovative cancer vaccines into Phase 1 trials and to explore the potential for enhanced efficacy through the combination with other immune-oncology agents. As a Scientific Advisor, he will be able to use his knowledge and experience to help develop our portfolio, to achieve our vision of advancing safe and effective therapeutic vaccines to address the unmet medical needs of cancer patients.”
Professor Sir Andrew McMichael added:
“I am looking forward to be joining Oxford Vacmedix as a member of its Scientific Advisory Council at this exciting time and to be helping the team deliver on its vision for the future. In my new role I will be advising the company on how to realise the mission of helping cancer patients live longer and better lives than previously possible. Both the company’s cancer vaccines have great potential to deliver these benefits.”
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
William Finch, CEO, Oxford Vacmedix
T: +44 (0)1865 742074 | M: +44(0)7769 903711 | E: wfinch@oxfordvacmedix.com
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 Dr Shisong Jiang. ROPs have been validated as a technology to stimulate broad and strong T cell immunity therefore forming a good platform for cancer therapeutic vaccines and diagnostics.
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 that is using the ROP platform in both diagnostics and as adoptive cell therapy.
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. Both vaccines will be tested as single agents and in combination with other IO agents.
OVM secured Series A investment from Cancer ROP, a leading South Korean healthcare institution, listed in KOSDAQ, and from existing shareholders in China. The financing round represented the first time that a UK cancer vaccines company has been financed by both South Korean and Chinese investors.
For more information, please visit: www.oxfordvacmedix.com/contact