PDS Biotechnology announced that the company has obtained an exclusive license from Merck Eprova AG to utilize Merck Eprova's proprietary chiral lipid DOTAP Chloride in Versamune-HPV and other products in development based on the Versamune technology. The use of enantiomerically pure DOTAP Chloride shows enhanced adjuvant activity compared to the racemate. Merck Eprova AG will be providing enantiomerically pure DOTAP Chloride manufactured under cGMP for use in clinical and commercial drug products developed with PDS Biotechnology's Versamune nanoparticle technology. PDS Biotechnology will own the intellectual property rights to products incorporating the chiral DOTAP lipids for immunotherapeutic applications.
Versamune HPV is an immunotherapy drug which has demonstrated significant promise in curing HPV infection and HPV-related cancer in preclinical animal and human model studies. Cancers caused by infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV) include cervical, head and neck and anal cancers. No cures exist for these cancers. Based on promising in vivo and in vitro efficacy data, PDS Biotechnology has been awarded grants by the US National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute to develop Versamune HPV and Versamune Melanoma. Versamune Melanoma is being developed to treat melanoma, which is the most aggressive form of skin cancer.
PDS Biotechnology's Versamune nanotechnology facilitates the uptake of disease-associated protein and peptide antigens by the antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. Simultaneously it acts as a strong immune system activator (adjuvant) without the inflammatory side effects induced by current adjuvants. The result is simple, safe and cost effective nanotechnology-based drugs and vaccines that induce effective eradication of the specific cells infected with, or expressing the particular protein formulated with Versamune.
PDS Biotechnology Corporation is an Indiana-based biotechnology company applying the company's proprietary Versamune nanotechnology drug platform technology to the development of safe and potent immunotherapies to prevent and to treat cancer and diseases caused by infectious agents.
Merck Eprova AG, located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA located in Darmstadt, Germany. Merck Eprova AG specializes in the development and production of cGMP grade, highly purified and characterized Drug Delivery Compounds such as cationic lipids, PEGs, PEG-lipids, and phospholipids.