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PDS Biotechnology Finalizes Commercial Licensing Agreement with Merck Eprova AG for Immunotherapies

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

PDS Biotechnology, a biotechnology company based in Indiana, has announced a significant agreement with Merck Eprova AG, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, located in Switzerland. The two companies have finalized a commercial licensing agreement that grants PDS Biotechnology exclusive rights to utilize Merck Eprova's proprietary chiral lipid DOTAP Chloride in its immunotherapies, including Versamune(TM)-HPV and other products in development. This partnership is expected to enhance the adjuvant activity of PDS Biotechnology's Versamune(TM) nanoparticle technology, which has demonstrated promising results in preclinical animal and human model studies for curing HPV infection and associated cancer.

Key Takeaways:

  • PDS Biotechnology has obtained an exclusive license from Merck Eprova AG to utilize Merck Eprova's proprietary chiral lipid DOTAP Chloride in its Versamune(TM) technology for immunotherapies.
  • The use of enantiomerically pure DOTAP Chloride has shown enhanced adjuvant activity compared to the racemate, demonstrating a significant advancement in PDS Biotechnology's immunotherapy platform.
  • As part of the agreement, Merck Eprova AG will provide enantiomerically pure DOTAP Chloride manufactured under cGMP for use in clinical and commercial drug products developed with PDS Biotechnology's Versamune(TM) nanoparticle technology.
  • PDS Biotechnology will own the intellectual property rights to products incorporating the chiral DOTAP lipids for immunotherapeutic applications.
  • The Versamune(TM) nanotechnology facilitates the uptake of disease-associated protein and peptide antigens by the antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, promoting a strong immune response without inflammatory side effects.
  • PDS Biotechnology's technology has been awarded grants by the US National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute to develop Versamune(TM)-HPV and Versamune(TM)-Melanoma, two promising immunotherapies for treating HPV-related cancer and melanoma.
  • Merck Eprova AG specializes in the development and production of cGMP grade, highly purified and characterized Drug Delivery Compounds, such as cationic lipids, PEGs, PEG-lipids, and phospholipids.

Statistics:

  • PDS Biotechnology has been awarded grants by the US National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute for developing Versamune(TM)-HPV and Versamune(TM)-Melanoma.
  • The company has a strong immunotherapy pipeline, including Versamune(TM)-HPV and Versamune(TM)-Melanoma, which have shown promising results in preclinical animal and human model studies.
  • The Versamune(TM) nanotechnology platform has the potential to treat a wide range of diseases, including cancer and infectious diseases.
  • Merck Eprova AG is a leading supplier of reduced folates and cationic lipids, and has a strong reputation for producing high-quality, cGMP-grade compounds.

Sources:

  • PDS Biotechnology Corporation (www.pdsbiotech.com)
  • Merck Eprova AG (www.merckeprova.com)
  • "PDS Biotechnology today announced that the company has obtained an exclusive license from Merck Eprova AG to utilize Merck Eprova's proprietary chiral lipid DOTAP Chloride in Versamune(TM)-HPV and other products in development based on the Versamune(TM) technology."
  • "Merck Eprova AG will be providing enantiomerically pure DOTAP Chloride manufactured under cGMP for use in clinical and commercial drug products developed with PDS Biotechnology's Versamune(TM) nanoparticle technology."
  • "PDS Biotechnology will own the intellectual property rights to products incorporating the chiral DOTAP lipids for immunotherapeutic applications."
  • "PDS Biotechnology Corporation (www.pdsbiotech.com) is an Indiana-based biotechnology company applying the company's proprietary Versamune(TM) nanotechnology drug platform technology to the development of safe and potent immunotherapies to prevent and to treat cancer and diseases caused by infectious agents."
  • "Merck Eprova AG (www.merckeprova.com), located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA located in Darmstadt, Germany."
  • "PDS Biotechnology's Versamune(TM) nanotechnology facilitates the uptake of disease-associated protein and peptide antigens by the antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, promoting a strong immune response without inflammatory side effects."
  • "PDS Biotechnology has been awarded grants by the US National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute to develop Versamune(TM)-HPV and Versamune(TM)-Melanoma."
  • "The Versamune(TM) nanotechnology platform has the potential to treat a wide range of diseases, including cancer and infectious diseases."

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