Pharmexa signs option for cancer vaccine licence
Danish company Pharmexa has signed an agreement with Massachusetts-based Lexigen Pharmaceuticals Corp., a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, of Darmstadt in Germany, for an option to acquire an exclusive license to a therapeutic cancer vaccine (pharmaccine) based on Pharmexa's proprietary AutoVacT technology.
The agreement covers one cancer target, which has not been disclosed but is a self-protein known to be involved in specific cancers. Lexigen and Pharmexa believe that active vaccination against this protein may have beneficial effects for treatment of certain forms of cancers. If Lexigen exercises its option, it will be responsible for any further clinical development, large-scale manufacturing and worldwide commercialisation of resulting products.
Dr Soren Mouritsen, ceo of Pharmexa, said: 'Lexigen is an ideal licensee for Pharmexa because of its expertise in oncology and immunotherapy.