Technology
CimCure's Approach
CimCure develops cancer vaccines through its proprietary Immune-Boost (iBoost) technology of targeted conjugate vaccines.
CimCure has identified specific targets in the tumor vasculature. By direct targeting and destruction of endothelial cells in the tumor blood vessels efficient prevention of tumor growth can be achieved.
Angiogenesis inhibition
Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels. Prevention of blood vessel growth will lead to inhibition of cancer growth. This is an attractive approach for treatment of cancer. However, past and current angiostatic drugs are known for rapid induction of drug resistance and loss of effectiveness. This is due to intervention in tumor-produced growth factors or their receptors.
CimCure’s approach directly targets the tumor blood vessels. This attenuates tumor growth directly. An additional advantage of targeting blood vessels is that the barrier function of the tumor vasculature for leukocytes can be overcome (Huinen et al, Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, 2021).
This way long-term efficacy of CImCure’s vaccines is seen.
Vascular targeting by iBoost
By vaccination with the target protein, conjugated to a proprietary engineered bacterial iBoost sequence, high levels of antibodies can be induced against the target protein (Huijbers et al, Vaccine, 2018/2019).
iBoost has shown proof-of-concept in preclinical studies in colon cancer, melanoma and glioblastoma, as well as in an efficacy study in client-owned dogs with spontaneous bladder cancer (Van Beijnum et al, Nature Communications, 2022).
CimCure’s cancer vaccines are efficient and safe, widely applicable, fast and highly cost-effective.
Literature
Van Beijnum, J. R. et al. Extracellular vimentin mimics VEGF and is a target for anti-angiogenic immunotherapy Nat. Commun. 13, 20 (2022).
Huijbers, E. J., Khan, K. A., Kerbel, R. S. & Griffioen, A. W. Tumors resurrect an embryonic vascular gene program to escape immunity. Science Immunol. 7, doi:10.1126/sciimmunol.abm6388 (2022).
Huinen, Z., Huijbers, E. J. M., Van Beijnum, J. R., Nowak-Sliwinska, P. & Griffioen, A. W. Anti-angiogenic agents – overcoming tumor endothelial cell anergy and improving immunotherapy outcomes. Nat. Rev. Clin. Oncol. 18, 527-540 (2021).
Priem, B. et al. Trained Immunity-Promoting Nanobiologic Therapy Suppresses Tumor Growth and Potentiates Checkpoint Inhibition. Cell 183, 786-801 e719, doi:10.1016/j.cell.2020.09.059 (2020).
Huijbers, E. J. M. et al. An improved conjugate vaccine technology; induction of antibody responses to the tumor vasculature. Vaccine 36, 3054-3060 (2018).
Huijbers, E. J. M. et al. Targeting Tumor Vascular CD99 Inhibits Tumor Growth. Front. Immunol. 10, 651, doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.00651 (2019).
Wentink, M. Q. et al. Targeted vaccination against the bevacizumab binding site on VEGF using 3D-structured peptides elicits efficient antitumor activity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 113, 12532-12537, doi:10.1073/pnas.1610258113 (2016).
Van Beijnum, J. et al. Gene expression of tumor angiogenesis dissected; specific targeting of colon cancer angiogenic vasculature. Blood 108, 2339-2348 (2006).
Griffioen, A. W. & Molema, G. Angiogenesis: potentials for pharmacologic intervention in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic inflammation. Pharmacol. Rev. 52, 237-268 (2000).