• MELITECH is the first immunotherapy based on synthetic Melanin technology developed by the team of Prof. Antoine Carpentier at Hospital Saint Louis, Paris.

 

• Glioblastoma is an aggressive and highly malignant type of brain cancer with poor prognostic.

 

• ALTEVAX aims to bring MELITECH to the clinic in 2024.

 

Paris, France, March 2023 — ALTEVAX Bioscience, a French biotech company that is harnessing the properties synthetic melanin, announced the award of a 2,4 M€ package via the "i-Démo - support for structuring R&D projects" call for projects.

 

The "i-Demo" call for projects run by BPIFrance under the France 2030 plan aims to develop industrial and service companies in growth markets that create value and competitiveness for the French economy. BPIfrance

 

The primary objective of our program is to evaluate the clinical safety and first sign of clinical activity of MELITECH. The first step is to complete the preclinical development and secure regulatory approval.

 

First reported in 2016, the potential benefit of synthetic melanin was highlighted in several international scientific publications. Combining an antigen with melanin boosts the immunology response in animal models up to 16 fold compared to current available industry adjuvants.

 

MELITECH is the first immunotherapy program developed from this innovative research led by the TEAM of Prof Antoine CARPENTIER at hospital Saint Louis.

 

The initiation of the clinical trial is expected in S1 2024.

 

“We are very grateful to Bpifrance for awarding ALTEVAX this 2,4M€ grant. This is proof that our approach to developing Melanin based immunotherapies addressing cancer with high medical needs is a cutting-edge innovation. With the award of this grant, ALTEVAX will consolidate and accelerate its already ambitious development strategy to enter the clinical stage next year,” said Mr. Paul Van Der Schueren, CEO of ALTEVAX.

 

About glioblastoma:

Glioblastoma is a type of brain cancer that originates from the glial cells in the brain. Glial cells provide support and nourishment to neurons, and they help to maintain the structure and function of the brain.

Glioblastomas are the most aggressive and malignant type of brain tumor, and they can grow rapidly and invade nearby healthy tissue. They can also spread to other parts of the brain or spinal cord. Treatment for glioblastoma usually involves a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. However, due to the aggressive nature of the tumor, the prognosis for glioblastoma is typically poor, with a median survival rate of about 15 months.

 

About ALTEVAX –

Altevax is a French biotech company, a pioneer in developing innovative cancer immunotherapies based on the combination of a cancer antigen with melanin.

 

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