Keeping cancer
in check
More cancer patients than ever before experience an initial treatment success, leading to clinical remission of the disease. However, tumor recurrence is an imminent threat and responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths. At Mendus, we focus on therapies addressing tumor recurrence.
Our Approach
Cancer Treatment Today
AML Maintenance
In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), maintenance treatment is the new frontier.
Measurable residual disease (MRD) is associated with poor relapse-free and overall survival.
Relapse vaccination with vididencel (DCP-001) is being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial addressing AML patients with MRD.
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of death among gynecologic malignancies, due to its high recurrence rate.
A Phase 1 clinical trial is ongoing to evaluate vididencel safety and efficacy in ovarian cancer.
If successful, the trial supports development of an ovarian cancer maintenance therapy.
Intratumoral Priming
Mendus is evaluating a clinical trial to explore the intratumoral immune primer ilixadencel as a second-line treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), in combination with standard-of-care.
After first-line treatment fails, GIST responds poorly to currently available therapies.
Ilixadencel has demonstrated clinical signs of efficacy in a broad range of solid tumors, including GIST.
Pipeline
Vididencel
AML (monotherapy)
Maintenance for acute myeloid leukemia patients with measurable residual disease
Study
ADVANCE II
Status
Long-term follow-up
- Preclinical
- Phase 1
- Phase 2
- Pivotal
AML (with oral 5’aza)
Combination with approved maintenance treatment
Status
Planned
- Preclinical
- Phase 1
- Phase 2
- Pivotal
Ovarian Cancer (with SoC)
Maintenance therapy
Study
ALISON
Status
Ongoing
- Preclinical
- Phase 1
- Phase 2
- Pivotal
Ilixadencel
Solid tumors (multiple)
Combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in renal cell carcinoma, gastro-intestinal stromal tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma, combination with pembrolizumab in multiple tumors
Status
Completed
- Preclinical
- Phase 1
- Phase 2
- Pivotal
GIST, other
Combination with TKI
Status
Planned
- Preclinical
- Phase 1
- Phase 2
- Pivotal
Preclinical
NK cell platform
Method for expansion of memory NK cells
Status
Ongoing
- Preclinical
- Phase 1
- Phase 2
- Pivotal
Applying dendritic cell biology to design novel cancer immunotherapies
Dendritic cells orchestrate the immune system, including the immune surveillance of potential cellular aberrations which could lead to cancer.
Increasing evidence suggests that dynamic interactions between dendritic cells, involving cellular crosstalk and the exchange of cellular content, are crucial in fulfilling this task.
At Mendus, we apply these insights in dendritic cell biology to design novel immunotherapies and unlock meaningful clinical benefits for cancer patients.
The cancer relapse vaccine vididencel (DCP-001) is derived from a proprietary cancer cell line. During manufacturing, these cancer cells are made to express dendritic cell molecules on their surface, rendering them highly immunogenic and suitable as a vaccine.
The intratumoral immune primer ilixadencel comprises pro-inflammatory dendritic cells from healthy donor material, which are injected into the tumor. This leads to local inflammation in the tumor microenvironment and the triggering of systemic anti-tumor immunity.
Our preclinical pipeline focuses on the design of next-generation products and novel combination therapies, including the combination of vaccination and intratumoral priming.
Publications
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