Genelux Announces Exclusive Out-Licensing Agreement with ELIAS Animal Health for V-VET1, a Proprietary Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus Treatment for Pets with Various Cancers
- V-VET1, a clinical-stage animal health-specific product candidate, is a vaccinia viral strain which selectively replicates in cancer cells causing cell death (apoptosis)
- Terms of the agreement grant ELIAS the worldwide right to development and commercialization of V-VET1 for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancer in veterinary medicine
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Nov. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Genelux Corporation, a clinical-stage immunotherapy company, today announced an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement for V-VET1, its clinical stage animal health product candidate, with ELIAS Animal Health, a biotechnology company advancing its novel T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer in veterinary medicine. V-VET1is a vaccinia viral strain which selectively replicates in cancer cells causing cell death (apoptosis).
ELIAS Animal Health plans future clinical trials to evaluate and develop V-VET1 as a potential new immunotherapy option for veterinary oncologists. Under the terms of the agreement, Genelux will receive an upfront payment, development and sales milestones, and royalties on product sales.
Genelux conducted a Phase 1 study in which V-VET1 was administered to canines with several different types of cancer, including mast cell tumors, osteosarcoma, soft tissue sarcoma, anal gland carcinoma and T-cell lymphoma. No maximum tolerated dose was reached in this dose-escalation trial and dogs tolerated their infusions well. Evidence of antitumor responses and of disease control were observed.
Cancer is the leading cause of death for dogs and the number one pet health concern for dog owners in the United States. In addition to surgery, currently available canine cancer treatment typically provides limited survival benefit. The National Cancer Institute's Center for Cancer Research Comparative Oncology Program has reported that as many as six million pet dogs and six million pet cats are diagnosed with cancer annually in the United States.
"We are excited to be working with ELIAS Animal Health to advance V-VET1 for the treatment of dogs and other non-human animals with various cancers," said Thomas Zindrick, J.D., President and CEO of Genelux. "Unfortunately, few veterinary-only drugs currently exist to treat companion animals with cancer. ELIAS is doing tremendous work to advance novel treatments for animal health, including cutting-edge adoptive T cell therapy combined with surgery and radiotherapy, and we are proud to partner with them."
"We are thrilled to announce our exclusive license for V-VET1 to help veterinarians treat the many pets who are diagnosed with cancer every year," said Tammie Wahaus, CEO of ELIAS Animal Health. "This therapeutic showed promising data in the Phase 1 study, and we look forward to expanding our portfolio to broaden the cancer treatment options available in veterinary medicine."
About ELIAS Animal Health
Based in Olathe, Kan., ELIAS Animal Health is a medical biotechnology company advancing its novel targeted T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of canine cancers. The ELIAS cancer immunotherapy is being distributed to veterinarians commercially under 9 CFR 103.3 as an experimental autologous prescription product for the treatment of canine osteosarcoma. The company's novel therapeutic approach offers the promise of improved clinical outcomes and the potential for fundamentally changing the way cancer is treated. For more information, visit www.eliasanimalhealth.com.
About Genelux Corporation
Genelux is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of next-generation oncolytic immunotherapies for patients suffering from aggressive and/or difficult-to-treat solid tumor types. The Company's most advanced product candidate, Olvi-Vec (olvimulogene nanivacirepvec), is a proprietary, modified strain of the vaccinia virus (VACV), a stable DNA virus with a large engineering capacity. The core of Genelux's discovery and development efforts revolves around the company's proprietary CHOICE™ platform from which the Company has developed an extensive library of isolated and engineered oncolytic vaccinia virus immunotherapeutic product candidates, including Olvi-Vec. For more information, please visit www.genelux.com.
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SOURCE Genelux Corporation