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Cancer

MabVax Therapeutics Receives Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research Grant for Sarcoma Vaccine Development

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

MabVax Therapeutics, a clinical stage biotechnology company, has received the Phase 2 portion of the Small Business Innovation Research Grant (SBIR) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the development of its sarcoma vaccine. The grant, valued at $1,752,000 over three years, will support the Phase II clinical trial of the company's vaccine to prevent recurrent sarcoma. The vaccine targets and kills residual circulating cancer cells and micrometastases thought to cause recurrent sarcoma.

Key Takeaways:

  • MabVax Therapeutics has received a Phase 2 SBIR grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for $1,752,000 over three years to support the Phase II clinical trial of its sarcoma vaccine.
  • The vaccine targets and kills residual circulating cancer cells and micrometastases thought to cause recurrent sarcoma, with the goal of preventing recurrence.
  • The Phase II clinical trial will enroll 134 metastatic sarcoma patients in a randomized, multicenter, double-blind study.
  • In the United States, approximately 13,200 sarcoma cases are diagnosed each year, with around 5,200 patients dying from the disease annually.
  • The vaccine was developed at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), where preclinical and early clinical development work was completed in 2009.
  • MabVax exclusively licensed the sarcoma vaccine from MSKCC in 2008.

Statistics:

  • MabVax Therapeutics received a Phase 2 SBIR grant valued at $1,752,000 over three years.
  • The Phase II clinical trial will enroll 134 metastatic sarcoma patients.
  • In the United States, approximately 13,200 sarcoma cases are diagnosed each year.
  • As many as 5,200 patients in the US die from sarcoma annually.
  • The vaccine is designed to target and eliminate residual circulating cancer cells and micrometastases.

Sources:

  • "MabVax Therapeutics Announces Completion of Successful Meeting with FDA regarding Sarcoma Vaccine" (Newsrx.com, 2011)
  • Cancer Vaccines (via NewsRx.com, 2011)
  • Clinicaltrials.gov (MabVax Therapeutics' Sarcoma Vaccine Trial) (mabvaxtherapeutics.com)
  • Cancer Vaccine Week editors (via NewsRx.com, 2011)

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