Imugene reaches next cohorts in monotherapy and combination study for cancer-killing virus, Vaxinia


  • Imugene (ASX:IMU) reaches the next cohort in the IV arm of its monotherapy dose escalation study, and also its combination study for the cancer-killing virus, Vaxinia
  • As a result, cohort five of the IV arm for the monotherapy dose escalation is now open, along with IV cohort three of the combination study
  • The phase one MAST trial began in May 2022 and is expected to last for approximately 24 months, funded from existing budgets and resources
  • IMU last traded at 4.3 cents

Imugene (ASX:IMU) has reached the next cohorts in the intravenous (IV) arm of its monotherapy dose escalation study and its combination study for the cancer-killing virus, Vaxinia.

In the IV arms of monotherapy, IMU has cleared cohort four and moved on from cohort two in the combination study, where Vaxinia was being administered with Keytruda.

As a result, cohort five of the IV arm for the monotherapy dose escalation and IV cohort three of the combination study are now open.

“As we near closer to opening and completing the final cohorts that were planned at the beginning of the trial, we have an opportunity to expand the trial by enrolling patients in additional cohorts for the monotherapy dose-escalation component,” IMU Managing Director and CEO Leslie Chong said.

The phase one MAST trial involves administering a low dose of VAXINIA to patients with metastatic or advanced solid tumours who have undergone at least two prior lines of standard care treatment.

The City of Hope-developed oncolytic virus has shown promise in shrinking various cancer tumour types in preclinical studies. The trial seeks to recruit up to 100 patients across multiple trial sites in the United States and Australia.

The clinical trial’s full title is “A Phase I, Dose Escalation Safety and Tolerability Study of VAXINIA (CF33- hNIS), Administered Intratumorally or Intravenously as a Monotherapy or in Combination with Pembrolizumab in Adult Patients with Metastatic or Advanced Solid Tumors (MAST).”

It began in May 2022 and is expected to last for approximately 24 months, funded from existing budgets and resources.

IMU last traded at 4.3 cents.


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