Evaxion Biotech is using artificial intelligence (AI) in its cancer vaccine development. Traditionally, vaccine development has been a slow and labor-intensive process, but Evaxion can accelerate the identification and development of effective vaccines against various types of cancer through the company's AI technology to analyze large amounts of data and predict potential vaccine targets,
AI immunology platform for drug target discovery
Through its proprietary AI platform, Evaxion has AI-Immunology already two cancer vaccine candidates in clinical development, EVX-01 and EVX-02These were discovered using PIONEER, which is the company's AI prediction model for neoantigens.
PIONEER is not the company's only prediction model for discovering personalized cancer treatment targets, however. Last year, Evaxion launched Note – a prediction model focused on identifying patient-specific targets, based on ancient viral remnants in our genes, so-called endogenous retroviruses or ERVs. Read more about ObsERV and its potential here.
New source of AI-detected targets
Since the announcement, the Danish biotech company has increasingly focused on refining its business development strategy. As part of that work, it hired Christian Kanstrup as CEO last September. According to Kanstrup, Evaxion's new focus will revolve around a three-pronged business model, with the AI immunology platform at its center. The three pillars are targets, pipeline, and responding patients – all of which will be suitable for partnerships. Read more here, and see an interview with Kanstrup here, where he discusses the strategy in more detail.
Speaking of targets, Evaxion presented a new precision cancer vaccine concept for hematological malignancies and selected solid cancers targeting ERV at the 65th ASH Annual Meeting in December last year. Using ERV as a target could, according to the company, make it possible to treat patients who do not respond to conventional cancer immunotherapy.
“Broadens the applicability of cancer vaccines”
Evaxion has now announced that it will take a closer look at the new concept. The company has initiated preclinical studies, with the intention of generating proof-of-concept data with ERV targets in the second half of 2024.
Evaxion's Chief Scientific Officer, Birgitte Rønø, sees great potential in the new approach and writes in a press release:
»With our intensified focus on ERV cancer vaccines, we aim to accelerate the development process to deliver treatment solutions to cancer patients who have so far not been considered to respond to immunotherapy. ERV as a cancer vaccine target is a promising breakthrough that can significantly increase the applicability of cancer vaccines and should be seen as a significant step forward in our work to improve healthcare through innovative and AI-driven approaches. We already see a great deal of interest in ERV-based vaccines and look forward to further strengthening the significant potential of this proof-of-concept data.«