Bavarian Nordic is currently pursuing the development of active
immunotherapy targeting two of the major cancers; breast and
prostate cancer. Viral vector-based vaccines, like MVA-BN®,
offer the advantage that the virus will induce both a strong
humoral and a cellular immune response.
PROSTVAC™, which was acquired through a collaboration with
the National Cancer Institute, is not based on MVA-BN®, but
uses two recombinant Poxviral vectors (Vaccinia and fowl pox).
Encouraging results from Phase II studies with PROSTVAC™
demonstrate a clear survival benefit along with a very favourable
safety profile when compared to existing treatment options
(chemotherapy) in patients suffering from advanced prostate cancer.
Confirmatory Phase III studies are underway and are expected to
form the basis for the approval of the vaccine, thus fulfilling a
large unmet medical need.
