Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (ANIX) has signed a letter of intent with Vienna-based VERDI Solutions GmbH to collaborate on the development of AI-guided cancer vaccines, the companies announced on Tuesday. The partnership aims to advance both personalized and off-the-shelf peptide vaccines for cancer patients, leveraging VERDI's artificial intelligence and cloud computing platform.
VERDI Solutions has pioneered an approach that uses advanced computational methods to accelerate the development of personalized cancer vaccines tailored to individual patients. The company's technology enables rapid identification and production of peptide vaccines based on a patient's unique tumor profile.
AI-Powered Vaccine Development Platform
VERDI's platform integrates artificial intelligence with cloud computing to analyze tumor sequence data and identify potential vaccine targets. This technology significantly reduces the time required to develop personalized cancer treatments, addressing a critical bottleneck in precision oncology.
"The integration of AI in vaccine development represents a significant advancement in personalized cancer treatment," said a spokesperson for the collaboration. "By analyzing the unique genetic makeup of each patient's tumor, we can develop vaccines that specifically target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue."
In addition to personalized vaccines, VERDI is developing off-the-shelf cancer vaccines paired with companion diagnostics to identify likely responders and optimize treatment outcomes. This dual approach aims to address both the need for highly personalized treatments and more broadly applicable therapeutic options.
European Treatment Experience
VERDI has already developed personalized vaccines for three patients with bone metastases under Europe's Individueller Heilversuch (Individual Healing Attempt) framework. This regulatory pathway allows physicians in certain European countries to prescribe individualized treatments outside the traditional clinical trial setting.
Unlike conventional clinical trials with strict eligibility criteria, the Heilversuch approach enables treatment for a wider range of cancer patients. This provides valuable real-world data on the efficacy and safety of personalized vaccines in diverse patient populations.
The vaccines were created using sequence data from the patients' primary tumors and administered by their oncologists under the Heilversuch protocol. While specific outcomes data was not disclosed, this experience provides important groundwork for the planned clinical development.
Terms of the Collaboration
Under the letter of intent, VERDI has granted Anixa a six-month exclusive right to negotiate a transaction for the research, development, and commercialization of VERDI's cancer vaccine technology. During this period, the companies will work to finalize the terms of their partnership.
While VERDI continues to develop personalized vaccines for individual treatment attempts in Europe, the companies plan to initiate formal clinical trials in the United States. This dual-track approach allows for continued patient treatment while advancing the regulatory pathway for broader commercialization.
Anixa's Expanding Oncology Portfolio
This agreement comes at a strategic time for Anixa Biosciences, which recently received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a key patent application covering its ovarian cancer vaccine technology. That patent includes broad claims related to methods of eliciting an immune response targeting the Anti-Mullerian Hormone Receptor, Type II (AMHR2), a promising target for ovarian cancer prevention and treatment.
The collaboration with VERDI represents a significant expansion of Anixa's cancer immunotherapy portfolio, potentially accelerating the company's development of novel cancer vaccines across multiple indications.
Future Clinical Development
The companies have indicated plans to initiate clinical trials in the United States while continuing to gather data from European individual treatment attempts. This parallel approach may provide complementary datasets to inform the clinical development strategy.
"The combination of VERDI's AI-powered platform with Anixa's clinical development expertise creates a powerful opportunity to advance novel cancer vaccines," noted an industry analyst familiar with both companies. "The personalized approach, in particular, aligns with the growing trend toward precision oncology."
As cancer immunotherapy continues to evolve, the integration of artificial intelligence and personalized medicine represents a promising frontier in oncology treatment. The Anixa-VERDI collaboration aims to be at the forefront of this emerging therapeutic approach.
