Oncovita Unveils Promising Preclinical Data for MVdeltaC, a Modified Measles Virus Immunotherapy, at EACR 2026
核心洞察
Oncovita (搜索)'s lead candidate MVdeltaC, a genetically modified measles virus, demonstrated potent tumor regression and complete remission in preclinical models of mesothelioma (搜索), bladder cancer (搜索), TNBC, and neuroblastoma (搜索).
The therapy activates the RIG-I (搜索) immune sensor, triggering immunogenic cancer cell death and converting immunologically "cold" tumors into "hot" targets with durable anti-tumor immune memory.
MVdeltaC has secured Orphan Drug Designation from both the FDA and EMA for mesothelioma (搜索), providing market exclusivity and regulatory support.
PARIS, France — Oncovita (搜索), a French biotech company specializing in therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines, announced that the full preclinical pharmacology package of its lead candidate MVdeltaC will be presented at the European Association for Cancer Research annual congress (EACR-2026) in Budapest, Hungary, from June 8–11, 2026. The data, which support the candidate's entry into clinical trials, highlight a genetically modified measles virus capable of inducing potent immunogenic cancer cell death and durable anti-tumor immune memory across multiple solid tumor models.
Pr. Frédéric Tangy, CSO, and Jean-François Le Bigot, PhD, Executive President, will present a poster (N° P-402) titled: "In situ cancer immunotherapy with modified MVdeltaC measles virus induces potent RIG-I (搜索) dependent tumor clearance and immune memory."
Preclinical Efficacy Across Multiple Solid Tumor Models
The preclinical pharmacology package includes results from both in vitro and in vivo solid tumor models, encompassing patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and syngeneic models in immunocompetent mice. Tumor types evaluated include mesothelioma (搜索), bladder cancer (搜索), triple-negative breast cancer (搜索) (TNBC), and neuroblastoma (搜索).
MVdeltaC exhibited a very strong immunogenic apoptosis activity, resulting in tumor regression and, in some cases, total disappearance of tumors in immunocompetent models — corresponding to RECIST Complete Remission (CR). Notably, when animals that had completely rejected tumors were re-challenged with tumor cells, no tumor growth was observed, demonstrating the establishment of anti-tumor immune protection.
Mechanism of Action: RIG-I (搜索) Activation and Immune Reprogramming
MVdeltaC is derived from the safe and highly immunogenic measles attenuated vaccine virus, built on Oncovita (搜索)'s proprietary Measovir® platform. The virus has been engineered by deleting the C protein, a key virulence gene. It naturally targets CD46 (搜索), a protein overexpressed on the surface of most cancer cells, granting it a degree of tumor specificity.
Detailed investigations of the biological mechanism of action revealed that defective viral RNA molecules, massively generated by the modified measles virus, activate the RIG-I (搜索) receptor. This activation triggers strong innate and adaptive immune responses against tumors. In essence, MVdeltaC converts immunologically "cold" tumors — those invisible to the immune system — into "hot," inflamed targets.
AI Collaboration Validates Biomarker Impact
In collaboration with Infinitusbio.AI (搜索), Oncovita (搜索) employed a "Simulative AI Digital Cell Clone" platform to model MVdeltaC's interaction with cancer cells. The AI analysis concluded that MVdeltaC has a greater impact than the standard measles virus on 70% of 104 cancer biomarkers evaluated. This partnership aims to identify predictive biomarkers that can help determine which patients are most likely to respond to therapy, supporting smarter, more efficient clinical trial design.
Orphan Drug Designation and Regulatory Strategy
MVdeltaC has been granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) by both the U.S. FDA and the European EMA for mesothelioma (搜索) — a rare and aggressive cancer with few effective treatments. The designation provides seven to ten years of market exclusivity post-approval, waived regulatory fees, and direct collaborative access to regulators. Oncovita (搜索) is now preparing for GMP manufacturing and aims to initiate clinical trials by the end of 2027, while actively engaging in discussions with venture capitalists and potential pharmaceutical partners.
"While many companies are working with DNA viruses, Oncovita (搜索) is betting that the unique immunological signature of the measles RNA virus can be its trump card," noted one industry analyst. "The ability to not only kill tumor cells directly but also to create a systemic, durable immune response is the combination everyone is chasing."