MOSCOW/PRNewswire/ -- Genetic Immunity, a clinical stage biotechnology company, is pleased to announce that it is expanding its collaboration with JSC Pharmadis by granting licenses to twenty cancer indications of its trans-dermally delivered pDNA-based vaccine technology.

The new indications cover twenty different cancer types including vaccines for the treatment of: prostate cancer, glioblastoma, colon & rectal cancer, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, endometrial cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, leukemia, breast cancer, kidney cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, myeloma, lip-oral cavity cancer, oesophagus cancer, brain cancer and gallbladder cancer.

"We are gratified to have expanded our collaboration with Pharmadis with the license of a tremendous portfolio of potential cancer immunotherapies. Closely following our HIV vaccine deal, the management of Pharmadis felt it would be a tremendous opportunity for them to have access to a broad range of possible treatment breakthroughs. Once they understood the basis of our platform technology, it was an easy next step for us to expand our collaboration and work with a single pharma player in Russia," stated Viktor Rozsnyay, CEO of Genetic Immunity.

"I think this is a singular collaboration, as to my knowledge, no-one has ever licensed such a broad range of product candidates based on a single product platform. We are excited for this opportunity and bring to market a revolutionary array of cancer treatments that can affect the lives of millions of people," added Rozsnyay.

Under terms of the new agreement, Pharmadis received rights to market all twenty cancer vaccines in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Genetic Immunity and Pharmadis will jointly develop all vaccines and seek Russian marketing approval. Clinical trials will be conducted beginning with prostate cancer and glioblastoma. Upon approval Genetic Immunity will receive double-digit royalties on sales.

The DermaVir immunotherapy vaccine platform contains a novel plasmid DNA that encodes disease specific antigens. The first product to demonstrate this technology is Genetic Immunity's HIV vaccine that Pharmadis licensed in 2018. For cancer vaccines based on the technology platform the disease specific pDNA will be used with appropriate antigens coded. The vaccine is topically administered using the DermaPrep medical device.

"Upon completing our HIV vaccine license with Genetic Immunity, we continued discussion to see how we may use other products in Russia. As we became familiar with the Company's pDNA platform technology we felt it would make sense to propose an extension to our licensing agreement to cover as many cancer types as possible. Genetic Immunity's management agreed with our proposal and we are happy to further our collaboration. The next two to three years will be of paramount importance as we hope to bring to market a number of revolutionary cancer vaccines to combat the disease," stated Nikolai Kovalev, Managing Director of Pharmadis.

The design of pDNA needed for prostate cancer and glioblastoma is already underway. Once completed, an investigator sponsored trial will be conducted in Moscow, Russia, at the European Medical Center. The first indication will cover glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, with principal investigator Professor Alexey Krivoshapkin, a world-renowned neurosurgeon.

Plasmid DNA based vaccines have been proven safe, but poorly immunogenic in human subjects. Genetic Immunity has developed several technologies to improve the immunogenicity of DNA-encoded antigens, including:

• Antigeneering of plasmid DNA to safely and authentically express most of the antigens of HIV or other pathogens, including cancer.
• The formulation of plasmid DNA to a pathogen-like nanoparticle called NanoComp. These nanoparticles target professional antigen-presenting cells, such as Langerhans cells and dendritic cells.
• A targeted transdermal delivery device called DermaPrep. It has been shown that topical DermaPrep administration results in antigen expression in the lymph nodes by dendritic cells.

About Pharmadis
Pharmadis is one of the largest medical distribution companies in Russia with four primary divisions: Pharmaceuticals, Consumable Medical Goods, Medical Equipment, and Technical Support and Engineering. The company has authorizations from numerous international medical companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Baxter, Siemens, Philips, GE, Bayer, among many others. Pharmadis is consistently expanding its activity to implement innovative solutions in medicine in Russia. http://www.pharmadys.ru

Further information: 
Viktor Rozsnyay
CEO, Genetic Immunity 
viktor@geneticimmunity.com

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Vladislav Shayman
Managing Partner
Expertise Institute
vladislav.shayman@expertinst.com