Targovax announces formation of new Scientific Advisory Board

Oslo, Norway, 28 October 2020 - Targovax ASA (OSE: TRVX), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing oncolytic viruses to target hard-to-treat solid tumors, today announces the formation of a new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB consists of a group of world-renowned experts in immuno-oncology research and drug development carefully selected to act as advisors to guide the Targovax R&D strategy.

Victor Levitsky, Chief Scientific Officer of Targovax said: We are very pleased to have attracted such high caliber individuals with deep expertise in immuno-oncology to serve on the newly formed Targovax Scientific Advisory Board. In their capacity as world-leading experts in immuno-oncology drug development, oncolytic viruses and mesothelioma, Dr. Clynes, Dr. Zamarin and Prof. Fennel cover the key scientific focus areas of Targovax. We are confident that the discussions with the advisory board will be very insightful and instrumental as we develop and implement the next phase of the Targovax R&D strategy”.

The SAB will be comprised of the following members:

• Raphael Clynes, MD, PhD: Dr. Clynes is an MIT graduate, MD/PhD immunologist, and MSKCC-trained hematologist/oncologist. As a well-recognized expert in clinical immunology, he has extensive prior experience as a contributing member of multiple SABs in biopharma and review boards at the NIH and national research foundations. In his academic career, Dr. Clynes established the critical role of Fc receptor engagement underlying the efficacy of antitumor antibodies, providing the road map for the development of a new class of potency enhanced Fc engineered antibodies in cancer, including anti-CD20, anti-CD19 and anti-HER2 antibodies (obinutuzumab, tafacitamab, margetuximab).  At Columbia, Dr. Clynes developed several novel therapeutic approaches in cancer and autoimmunity, including DC targeting for cancer vaccines and Syk and JAK mediated inhibition of DCs and T cells in autoimmunity therapy. Since 2014, Dr. Clynes has led clinical development of checkpoint, CD3 bi-specifics and cytokine programs in immunotherapy at Bristol Myers Squibb and at Xencor, where he is currently VP Translational Biology and oversees seven immunotherapeutic assets currently in clinical development for cancer and autoimmunity.

• Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD: Dr. Zamarin is an Assistant Attending Physician and Translational Research Director in the Gynecologic Medical Oncology Service at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is also a principal investigator and a translational chair on several institutional and cooperative group clinical trials exploring novel immunotherapy combinations in gynecologic cancers and other solid tumors. Dr. Zamarin’s clinical and laboratory research are focused on characterization of biomarkers in patients undergoing immunotherapy and on development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies using immunomodulatory antibodies and genetically-engineered oncolytic viruses. Specifically, by manipulating the oncolytic viruses and the immune system, he is exploring different ways to enhance the immune recognition of tumors and to develop novel treatment strategies that could overcome resistance to immune checkpoint blockade.

• Dean A. Fennell, FRCP, PhD: Professor Fennell is Professor & consultant in Thoracic Medical Oncology, and Director of the Leicester Mesothelioma Program based at the University of Leicester/University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. He is an internationally recognized key opinion leader, clinical investigator and translational research in mesothelioma. He has led several investigator-initiated trials from phase 1 through phase III. Prof. Fennell is member of the IASLC mesothelioma taskforce, steering committee for the British Lung Foundation mesothelioma research network, past president of the International mesothelioma interest group, co-author of the UK BTS, and European (ESMO, ERS) mesothelioma treatment guidelines and served two terms on the EORTC board. He is currently the Leicester lead for the groundbreaking Cancer Research UK TraceRx/Darwin/PEACE and BLF supported MEDUSA phylogenetic studies. Prof. Fennell has published over 100 peer reviewed articles in journals including The Lancet, Lancet Oncology, New England Journal of Medicine, Nature, Nature Reviews Cancer, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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
 

About Targovax

Activating the patient's immune system to fight cancer

Targovax (OSE:TRVX) is a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing oncolytic viruses to target hard-to-treat solid tumors. Targovax’s lead product candidate, ONCOS-102, is a genetically modified oncolytic adenovirus, which has been engineered to selectively infect cancer cells and activate the immune system to fight the cancer.

ONCOS-102 is currently being tested in mesothelioma, melanoma and peritoneal malignancies and has already shown promising clinical results both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy, and a checkpoint inhibitor.