Bavarian Nordic is 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 2 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 3 studies are underway and are expected to form
the basis for the approval of the vaccine, thus fulfilling a large
unmet medical need.
