Vaccinex Announces Three Oral Presentations Highlighting Semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D) at the ASCO-SITC Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium

The multiple presentations in one ASCO-SITC meeting session spotlight the growing interest in SEMA4D as a clinically relevant target implicated in multiple cancer types and highlights the potential of pepinemab antibody to neutralize SEMA4D in the treatment of cancer

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaccinex, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCNX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering novel investigational antibody therapies in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, today announced that three oral presentations highlighting SEMA4D will be delivered at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)-Society for Immunotherapy in Cancer (SITC) Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium, which is being held February 6-8 in Orlando, Florida.  

“We believe these oral presentations at the prestigious ASCO-SITC Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium reflect growing interest in SEMA4D as an emerging and potentially important target for the treatment of cancer,” said Dr. Maurice Zauderer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vaccinex. “We are currently evaluating our novel anti-SEMA4D antibody, pepinemab, in combination with avelumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody co-developed and co-commercialized by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer, in a Phase 1b/2 study in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Interim results that we recently presented at the 34^th Annual Meeting of SITC in November demonstrated a robust effect, as 17 of 29 patients whose tumors had progressed during or following treatment with checkpoint inhibitors showed a halt or reversal of tumor progression. We look forward to final results from this important study while in parallel advancing our understanding of the potential role of SEMA4D in the treatment of other difficult to treat cancers.”     

Below is the schedule for the SEMA4D-related presentations:

Interim Results from a Phase Ib/II Study of Pepinemab in Combination with Avelumab in Advanced NSCLC Patients Following Progression on Prior Systemic and/or Anti-PDx Therapies
Abstract # 75
First Author: Michael Rahman Shafique, MD
Oral Abstract Session A
Thursday, February 6, 2020
1:00-2:15pm EST

Antibody Blockade of Semaphorin 4D to Sensitize Pancreatic Cancer to Immune Checkpoint Blockade
Abstract # 26
First Author: Luis I. Ruffolo, MD
Oral Abstract Session A
Thursday, February 6, 2020
1:00-2:15pm EST

Exploring New Immunologic Opportunities by Blocking Semaphorin 4D