Genvira Biosciences Inc., a Canadian biotechnology company specializing in next-generation viral vectors, and Labskin Limited, a UK-based leader in 3D in vitro human skin models, have secured £1.2 million ($2.0 million) in funding to develop innovative immunotherapies for malignant melanoma. The collaborative project, supported by the Canada-UK Biomanufacturing of Biologics and Advanced Therapies program, also includes the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) as a key partner.
Addressing Critical Unmet Medical Need
Malignant melanoma represents a significant global health challenge, with an estimated 330,000 new cases and 60,000 deaths occurring annually worldwide. The international partnership aims to address this unmet medical need through the development of cutting-edge cancer vaccines and optimized targeted antigen delivery systems.
Complementary Technology Integration
The collaboration leverages the unique strengths of each partner to create a comprehensive approach to melanoma immunotherapy development. Labskin will utilize its expertise in advanced disease modeling to develop a novel 3D human skin model of melanoma, which will enable in vitro testing of vaccine candidates in a realistic biological environment.
Genvira will contribute its proprietary viral vector and gene delivery platforms to the project, while the NRC will support the integration of mRNA technologies to engineer innovative, targeted immunotherapies specifically tailored to melanoma treatment.
Leadership Perspectives
Dr. Nicola Kingswell, Scientific Director at Labskin Limited, emphasized the project's potential impact: "We're extremely grateful to Innovate UK for supporting this exciting project. It represents a step-change in the treatment of malignant melanoma, which will benefit many patients worldwide. This partnership will not only produce and validate new immunotherapies, but also establish a framework for developing future cancer therapeutics."
Dr. Jiahu Wang, President of Genvira Biosciences, highlighted the translational potential of the collaboration: "We'd like to thank NRC IRAP for their support, and the NRC for their collaborative role. This partnership enables us to rapidly translate our viral vector technologies into clinical applications for melanoma and lays the groundwork for broader advances in cancer immunotherapy."
Funding and Support Structure
The project receives support through multiple channels across both countries. In the UK, participants are supported by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Canadian support comes through the NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) and the NRC Collaborative Science and Technology Innovation Program (NRC CSTIP).
Broader Implications for Cancer Treatment
Beyond therapeutic development, the consortium will focus on establishing scalable production processes, quality control assays, and robust technologies designed to enable rapid response to future healthcare challenges. The project brings together complementary strengths in 3D tissue engineering, gene and viral therapy, mRNA technology, and advanced biomanufacturing.
This initiative demonstrates the importance of international collaboration in driving innovation and accelerating the development of advanced biologics and therapies, potentially establishing a new framework for future cancer therapeutic development.
