Newly Launched Oxxon Pharmaccines Focuses on Therapeutic Vaccines
Oxxon Pharmaccines was founded in mid-1999 by a group of internationally renowned immunologists and virologists from the University of Oxford, through ISIS Innovation Ltd. The company has tapped David T. Phillips, formerly of Oxford Molecular Group plc, GlaxoWellcome, and Cephalon Inc., as CEO. Oxxon has taken ownership of several patents covering key inventions by its founders.
Oxxon's proprietary approach to therapeutic vaccines generates protective CD8+ T-cell immune responses against target antigens through pharmaccines. Prime-Boost, a vaccination strategy, consists of sequential immunizations, using selected vectors, to deliver the same antigen. Preclinical trials have verified this approach. Oxxon has two pharmaccine candidates about to enter clinical trials, for hepatitis B and melanoma.
Commenting on the launch of his new company, CEO Phillips explained how Oxxon differs from other vaccine companies. "Most current vaccines induce an antibody response to disease-causing agents which means that, while they are effective in disease prevention, they are not effective for treating chronic diseases such as hepatitis B. By contrast, pharmaccines are predicted to be effective in treatment as well as prevention. The currently untapped market for pharmaccines is large and therefore offers a great opportunity for a company such as Oxxon."
According to Joerg Schneider, director of research and an Oxxon co-founder, one of the barriers to creating a pharmaccine is the difficulty of inducing cellular immune responses in humans. "Our novel Prime-Boost technology delivers T-cell antigens sequentially using different vectors. This has been shown preclinically to generate higher levels of CD8 + T cells."
In addition to the development-stage hepatitis B and melanoma programs, Prime-Boost is entering Phase 1 clinical trials in an academic setting for malaria and AIDS prevention. The approach may also have potential in other conditions, including hepatitis C, influenza, Epstein Barr virus, measles, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, herpes, and a range of cancers.
For more information: David Phillips, CEO, Oxxon Pharmaccines, Oxford BioBusiness Centre, Littlemore Park, Oxford OX2 7BZ, United Kingdom. Tel: +44-1865-405-135.