Full antigenic signature capture
Imvax’s Goldspire™ platform exposes the full antigenic signature of a patient’s tumor to the immune system, providing an opportunity for a broader anti-tumor effect compared with single antigen-targeting therapies.
Our Science: The Goldspire™ Immunotherapy Platform
Harnessing the full antigen signature of solid tumors
Informed by decades of research, Imvax’s platform elegantly turns the complexity of a solid tumor against itself by capturing its complete antigenic signature and converting it into a highly immunostimulatory ‘training program’. This is designed to deliver both innate and adaptive immune stimulation to overcome the challenges of solid tumors’ variability and ability to suppress the immune system.
Our Goldspire™ platform
Imvax’s Goldspire™ platform is a personalized, whole tumor-derived, cell-based autologous immunotherapy that delivers a full tumor antigen payload to patients by combining patient-derived tumor cells and an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (IMV-001) against insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptor (IGF-1R). This combination is loaded into implantable, proprietary biodiffusion chambers (BDCs). Our platform is designed to be incorporated into the standard of care. In the graphic below, click into the two major steps unique to Imvax’s platform to learn more.
Patient admitted to hospital
Patient leaves hospital
Standard of care proceeds
Personalized Tumor Processing
After surgical removal and transfer to Imvax’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Philadelphia, PA, patient tumor samples undergo rapid tissue processing (i.e., less than 24 hours). Imvax incubates a patient’s tumor cells with antisense and then places the cells in BDCs. These are irradiated with a low dose of radiation before being returned to the hospital for implantation in the patient.
Immune system training
The small chambers loaded with antigen signature and antisense therapy represent a combination product tailored specifically to the patient. They are temporarily implanted in the abdomen, providing a controlled interface with the immune system via micropores.
The intended result of implanting the chamber is that the immune system absorb the tumor’s full antigenic signature, triggering innate immunity and the induction of a long-term adaptive immune response against remaining tumor tissue in the body.
This immune stimulation is augmented by the antisense therapy, IMV-001. This single-stranded nucleic acid is designed to act in multiple ways to enhance sensitization of the immune system to a tumor’s full, unique antigen signature.
Firstly, IMV-001 targets the IGF1R receptor, a cell growth controller common in tumors, but not most healthy cells.
IMV-001 binds to IGF1R in tumor cells to promote a specific kind of immunogenic tumor cell death which releases the tumor’s entire antigenic signature along with immunostimulatory factors.
Finally, IMV-001’s sequence includes a short element called a CpG motif. As IMV-001 diffuses out of the chamber, this motif activates nearby antigen-presenting cells, now laden with tumor antigens. These cells consequently traffic to local lymph nodes to activate the adaptive immune system.
Unique advantages of the Goldspire™ platform against solid tumors
Broad spectrum immune activation
Imvax’s Goldspire™ platform delivers immunotherapy that is personalized to a patient’s entire unique tumor and incorporates mechanisms that stimulate both the innate and adaptive immune system. This broad-spectrum effect, when used in combination, also may enhance the effects of other immunotherapies.
No ‘off-target’ effects
Imvax’s Goldspire™ platform trains the immune system to comprehensively recognize the full antigenic signature of a patient’s unique tumor. Because the immune system ignores a patient’s own antigens, Imvax’s approach should avoid immune responses not directed to the tumor itself.
Less than 24-hour tissue processing
Imvax’s Goldspire™ platform uses a rapid tumor tissue processing technology to prepare the proprietary BDCs for implantation. By contrast, many emerging therapies targeting one or a small number of antigens require complex manufacturing procedures, such as gene editing and cell expansions, that can take several weeks.
Integrated into the ‘standard of care’
Imvax’s Goldspire™ platform can fit within the existing standard of care for patients with resectable solid tumors. Within days of tumor resection surgery, Imvax processes the tumor cells and the BDCs are then implanted in the patient and explanted 48-hours later. The patient’s immune system training begins immediately, after which they can continue with traditional standard-of-care therapies.
Research, Development, and Manufacturing Overview
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Zellander, A. et al. “Personalized Immunotherapeutic Platform, with Evidence of Clinical Activity in Glioblastoma, Protects Mice Against Ovarian, Liver & Bladder Cancer Tumor Challenges” Presented at SITC 2022.
Cultura, C., et al. “Autologous tumor cell immunotherapeutic platform induces stress-correlated immunogenic cell death leading to immune activation within the draining lymph nodes” Presented at SITC 2022.