A cancer treatment compound, INI-4001, developed through a collaboration between the University of Montana and Missoula-based biotech company Inimmune Corporation, is advancing to human clinical trials in Australia. This marks a significant milestone after years of research and grant funding from the National Institutes of Health.
The initial clinical trials will be conducted in Australia, a strategic decision based on the comparatively faster regulatory processes for initiating trials there. Inimmune aims to recruit more patients for the Australian trials before expanding patient recruitment to the United States.
"Research really is a grind. It's slow, it's hard, there's a lot of failures. But those successes when they happen... Those are rewarding and you see the potential is for things that you are working on to help people," said Jay Evans, a researcher from the University of Montana, highlighting both the challenges and rewards of translational research.
Beyond its potential in cancer treatment, INI-4001 is also being investigated for its application in a vaccine targeting heroin and fentanyl addiction. This dual application underscores the broad potential of the compound developed in Missoula.
