Sweden’s Innovation Agency continues to support cancer vaccine company

Immunicum AB (publ), which develops therapeutic cancer vaccines, is one of the companies that receives development funding from Sweden’s Innovation Agency program "Forska&Väx” (Research&Grow). The program aims to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium size enterprises and create growth and renewal of Swedish industry.

Immunicum receives 470 000 SEK from the Innovation Agency, which will be used to develop the company's manufacturing process to meet industry standards. The project will be conducted in collaboration with the Cancer Center Karolinska which is contributing with unique expertise in the manufacturing of advanced cell therapies.

The project provides the ability to verify Immunicum’s unique potential to produce vaccines in large-scale, cost effectively and in accordance with so- called GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standard.

-  These are requirements that we encounter in discussions with potential partners, says Jamal El-Mosleh, CEO of Immunicum. – The support from the Innovation Agency enables us to meet these requirements today, long before they are placed for market approval.

Immunicum’s patented vaccine is based on over 30 years of research in the field of transplantation immunology and activates the body's own immune system to attack harmful substances such as tumor cells. The Company has also recently completed two new share issues and brought in a total of 30,2 million SEK before issue costs. These funds will be used to complete the ongoing clinical phase I/II-trial that began in February 2012 in kidney cancer patients. In addition, a clinical phase I/II-study in liver cancer patients will be initiated.

-  It is still too early to determine the effect of our vaccine in humans, but we have not noted any vaccine-related adverse events and for patients in the group with the worst prognosis, survival data already looks promising, says Jamal El-Mosleh.

-  For us, the funding from the Innovation Agency is also an important step for future continued testing on humans, since it will enable us to verify our advanced manufacturing process all the way to treatment of patients. It also means that the Innovation Agency, which previously supported the project with 3,5 million SEK in the program "Innovations for Future Health", see a continued development of the company and that we met earlier goals.

-  It’s an important recognition for us that the Innovation Agency, with extensive experience from Swedish innovation companies, acknowledges Immunicum's ability to work with partners and that we are capable of driving our projects forward, says Jamal El-Mosleh.

For further information please contact:

Jamal El-Mosleh, CEO of Immunicum, 0703-31 90 51, jamal.el-mosleh@immunicum.com