NEW YORK – Anixa Biosciences on Tuesday said it acquired a six-month exclusive right to negotiate a deal with Verdi Solutions to develop and personalize an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine.
San Jose, California-based Anixa is advancing a portfolio of cancer vaccines with Cleveland Clinic and immunotherapies with Moffitt Cancer Center based on its proprietary chimeric endocrine receptor T-cell (CER-T) technology, a type of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.
With a potential collaboration with Verdi, Anixa could gain research, development, and commercialization rights to the Vienna-based firm's cancer vaccines, which it developed using its artificial intelligence- and cloud-based computing capabilities. Verdi pairs computerized design with real-world and clinical-trial data to tailor its vaccines to cancer patients. It is also developing off-the-shelf cancer vaccines with companion diagnostics that can identify best responders and optimize treatment outcomes.
Verdi has produced and administered personalized vaccines for three patients with bone metastases under a European program that allows physicians to prescribe individualized treatments to patients with life-threatening conditions who lack satisfactory therapy alternatives. In a statement, Verdi CEO Julianna Lisziewicz said that while the personalized vaccines have shown initial encouraging activity, the company is eager to demonstrate benefits in more patients.
If Anixa exercises its rights under a letter of intent signed by both companies, Verdi and Anixa will collaborate on vaccine trials in the US, while Verdi will continue developing personalized vaccines for patients in Europe.
"The letter of intent with Verdi provides us with the optionality to collaborate on the further development of Verdi's technology, while preserving our ability to structure the relationship in a way that is mutually beneficial to both parties," Anixa CEO Amit Kumar said in a statement. "Additionally, partnering with Verdi aligns with our strategy of implementing a capital-efficient business model for personalized cancer care."