Genovax

The company

  • Spin-off of the University of Genova; established in 2008, it operates in the area of therapeutic vaccines for chronic diseases.
  • Genovax has developed novel vaccines for the treatment of cancer (renal and prostate) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
  • Two patents filed in 2007 and 2008.
  • Selected publications for cancer:
    - “Cytotoxic T cell immunity against telomerase reverse transcriptase in humans”, Minev et al. (2000) PNAS, 97: 4796-4801
    [link:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10759561]
    - The telomerase catalytic subunit is a widely expressed tumor-associated antigen recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes”, Vonderheide et al. (1999) Immunity, 10: 673-679
    [link:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10403642]
    - “Frequency of telomerase-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with cancer”, Filaci et al. (2006) Blood, 107: 1505-1512
    [link:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1624379]
  • Selected publications for SLE:
    - “Protection against renal disease in (NZBxNZW)F1 lupus-prone mice after somatic B cell gene vaccination with anti-DNA immunoglobulin consensus peptide”, Ferrera et al. (2007) Arthritis & Rheumatism, 56: 1945-1953
    [link:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17530718]
    - “Spontaneous transgenesis of human B lymphocytes”, Filaci et al. (2004) Gene Therapy, 11: 42-51
    [link:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14681696]

Current Status

  • The vaccine (GX301) is currently undergoing a clinical phase I/II trial in Italy to evaluate safety and immune responses in patients with prostate and renal cancer.
  • The vaccine (GX101) for SLE has completed preclinical validation.
  • Interested in partnerships for further development of both vaccines