Vedantra Pharmaceuticals, an immunotherapy company focused on developing products for cancer and infectious disease, has formed a joint collaboration to explore cancer vaccine research with Neon Therapeutics, an immuno-oncology company focused on developing novel therapeutics leveraging neoantigen biology to treat cancer. The two companies will contribute their respective expertise non-exclusively to explore the potential benefits of combining Vedantra’s cutting edge albumin-binding, lymph node targeting amphiphile technology with Neon’s innovative capabilities in neoantigen vaccine research.

“We are excited to work with Neon Therapeutics, a leading neoantigen company, on this joint research collaboration to explore the various vaccine opportunities that exist with both of our company’s programs. Although our albumin-binding amphiphile technologies have the potential to be effective at combating cancer by enhancing the body’s natural immune responses, our partnership has clear benefits to exploring innovative ways to synergistically enhance both of our programs,” said Julian Adams, executive chairman, Vedantra. “In addition to the continued development of Vedantra’s therapeutic technologies, we are pleased to move forward on a collaboration that could place both Vedantra and Neon at the forefront of cancer vaccine development.”

“Vedantra’s focus on generating novel therapeutics leverages proprietary platform technologies that are able to deliver agents directly to antigen-presenting cells of the lymph nodes, and builds upon years of research that could be further enhanced through a collaboration with a company like Neon,” said Darrell Irvine, professor, departments of biological engineering and materials science and engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, founder and scientific consultant, Vedantra. “We are excited for the opportunity to explore and evaluate the potential benefits of applying this technology to neoantigen-based vaccines.”

Neoantigens, which are often associated with tumors, arise as a result of accumulating somatic mutations and foreign sources such as viruses. These alterations in a patient’s tumor DNA occur during the development and progression of tumors. The objective of the joint research collaboration is to continue development of therapeutic vaccines that raise immune responses against neoantigens that allow the body to naturally expand immune cells capable of destroying infected or cancerous cells without harming normal tissues.