VBI Vaccines Announces Phase 2a Clinical Evaluation of VBI-1901

VBI Vaccines (NASDAQ:VBI) has announced a collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) to evaluate VBI’s VBI-1901 with GSK’s AS01 adjuvant system.

As quoted in the press release:

As part of the collaboration, VBI plans to add an additional study arm to Part B of the company’s ongoing, multi-center, open-label Phase 1/2a clinical study targeting recurrent glioblastoma (GBM), a cytomegalovirus (CMV)-associated tumor.

“VBI-1901 has shown encouraging results in Part A of the ongoing Phase 1/2a clinical study in recurrent GBM patients and we are excited to be able to expand the scope of Part B to assess the candidate in combination with AS01_B, a highly-innovative adjuvant system that has contributed to positive results in combination with the gE antigen in GSK’s shingles vaccine, Shingrix,” said David E. Anderson, Ph.D., VBI’s Chief Scientific Officer. “VBI’s enveloped virus-like particle (eVLP) technology, the basis for VBI-1901, is highly versatile and has demonstrated clinical potency in both preventative and therapeutic settings. We believe that these two technologies may be an ideal match for next-generation vaccines, and we look forward to seeing the results of this collaboration.”

“This is the first time we have partnered with a biopharma company to evaluate AS01_B in such a clinical setting and the first time this adjuvant will be assessed in oncology for GBM patients. We have shown the ability of AS01_B to boost T-cell mediated immunity and believe the combination of AS01_B and VBI-1901 could have benefits for patients with glioblastoma, a rare but devastating cancer,” said Emmanuel Hanon, Senior Vice President, Head of R&D at GSK Vaccines.

Click here to read the full press release.