Aussie's US cancer milestone

Imugene has finally moved its novel cancer-killing virus therapy Vaxinia into clinical trials and has high hopes it can make MSD's PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda more effective in solid tumours.

The Sydney-based company acquired global exclusive license rights to the oncolytic virus technology developed by researchers at City of Hope, a world-renowned cancer research and treatment organisation in Los Angeles back in 2019.

Early research shows oncolytic viruses, such as Vaxinia, can prime a person's immune system and increase the level of PD-L1 in tumours, making immunotherapy more effective against cancer.