JX-929
Jennerex product candidate, JX-929, is an engineered vaccinia virus strain with high potency plus enhancements for cancer selectivity and the ability to activate potent chemotherapy in tumor tissue specifically. JX-929 therefore attacks cancer both by viral attack and cancer cell lysis ("oncolysis"), plus with chemotherapy that is selectively activated in cancer tissue. Selective activation of chemotherapy in cancer tissue is designed to markedly decrease side effects and to increase potency.
To optimize tumor selectivity, two viral genes were deleted; the goal of these deletions is to restrict replication to cells with large nucleotide pools (e.g. cancer cells) and cells with activation of the EGFR-Ras pathway, a common mutation in many cancer types. JX-929 also expresses two transgenes. The first is a reporter gene that allows for non-invasive imaging of viral distribution, and the second is a prodrug-activating enzyme that can convert a subsequently administered nontoxic prodrug to a cytotoxic drug. As the virus is tumor selective, production of the cytotoxic drug is concentrated at the site of the tumor, enhancing efficacy against the tumor and minimizing side effects on normal tissues.
JX-929 has been administered to patients with pancreatic, breast and colorectal cancer via intratumoral injections in a recently completed Phase 1 dose-escalation clinical trial. Planned future studies include intravenous administration in patients with pancreatic, breast and colorectal cancers.
