OSLO, Norway, June 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Targovax ASA ("Targovax" or "the Company"; OSE: TRVX), is a clinical stage company focused on developing and commercializing immune activators to target hard to treat solid tumors, announces that the European Patent Office has granted European Patent no 3079715, A Peptide mixture. The patent protects the composition of Targovax's mutant-RAS specific neoantigen vaccine TG02, for stimulating the immune system of cancer patients with RAS mutated tumors.

Targovax's proprietary mutant-RAS neoantigen vaccine platform is designed to treat patients with tumors harboring RAS mutations. Mutations in the RAS genes are a driving cause of cancer development and progression, and is linked to poor prognosis. By inducing an anti-mutant-RAS specific immune response, the TG products have the potential to delay disease progression and increase survival, with a favorable safety profile compared to chemotherapy and many other treatment options.

TG02 expands the coverage of RAS mutations beyond TG01, and is targeting all relevant RAS exon 2 oncogenic point mutations which are found in the vast majority of all RAS mutated cancers. Currently, TG02 is being tested in an exploratory Phase Ib clinical trial in patients with locally recurrent RAS-mutated colorectal cancer in combination with the checkpoint inhibitor KEYTRUDA® (clinical study CT TG02-01). This study will provide important clinical data on the safety, immune activation and mechanism of action of TG02.

Jon Amund Eriksen, inventor of the TG technology and Co-founder of Targovax, said: "We are glad to see the European patent for TG02 being granted, further strengthening Targovax's intellectual property portfolio covering the very important mutant-RAS trunk neoantigens. RAS is mutated in 20-30% of all cancers, and this 2nd generation product from the TG platform puts Targovax in a position to address an important unmet medical need, which could eventually benefit all RAS mutated cancer patients."

For further information, please contact:
Renate Birkeli
Investor Relations
Phone: +47-922-61-624
Email: renate.birkeli@targovax.com  

Media and IR enquires:
Andreas Tinglum - Corporate Communications (Norway)Phone:
+47-9300-1773
Email: andreas.tinglum@corpcom.no

Simon Conway/Stephanie Cuthbert - FTI Consulting (International)
Phone: +44-20-3727-1000
Email: Targovax@fticonsulting.com

About Targovax 

Activating the patient's immune system to fight cancer

Targovax (OSE:TRVX) is a clinical stage company focused on developing and commercializing immune activators to target hard to treat solid tumors. Immuno-oncology is currently one of the fastest growing therapeutic fields in medicine.

Targovax's primary product candidate, ONCOS-102, is a genetically modified oncolytic adenovirus, used as potential multi-target, neo-antigen therapeutic cancer vaccines. It has been engineered as an immune activator that selectively targets cancer cells. In phase I trials it has demonstrated immune activation at lesional level which was associated with clinical benefit. ONCOS-102's lead indication is mesothelioma where the virus is currently being developed in a phase II trial. A second trial, in advanced melanoma, is expected to produce important proof of concept data for checkpoint inhibitor refractory patients.

In addition, Targovax has a neo-antigen cancer vaccine under development targeting tumors that express mutated forms of RAS. Key proof of concept data for the TG platform from a clinical trial of TG01 in resected pancreatic cancer patients showed encouraging overall survival. A next generation product candidate, TG02 is currently being combined with pembrolizumab in a phase I trial in colorectal cancer.

Both platforms are protected by an extensive portfolio of IP, know-how, and have the potential to yield multiple product candidates.

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http://news.cision.com/targovax/r/targovax-granted-eu-patent-for-mutant-ras-neoantigen-platform-2nd-generation-product-tg02,c2551982

SOURCE Targovax