Tolerx, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies by modulating T cell activity, and the Cancer Vaccine Acceleration Fund (CVAF) -- a nonprofit program of the Cancer Research Institute established in partnership with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research -- today announced they entered into a collaborative research agreement to support development of Tolerx's drug candidate, TRX518, a monoclonal antibody designed to enhance the immune system by enabling T cells to more effectively attack cancer cells. TRX518 is the first anti-GITR (glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor) drug candidate to enter human clinical trials.
Through this collaboration, CVAF will provide $1.5 million in research funding to support Tolerx's clinical development of TRX518. CVAF will be eligible to receive milestone payments from Tolerx if TRX518 obtains FDA approval in the future. As part of the alliance, CVAF will provide Tolerx with access to scientific and clinical resources, including the Ludwig Institute's Clinical Trial Management team and the Cancer Vaccine Collaborative, a network of 19 leading medical research institutions around the world with expertise in designing and conducting cutting-edge immunotherapy clinical trials in cancer. Upon completion of the Phase 1 study, TRX518 may be evaluated in clinical trials in combination with other therapeutic cancer vaccines that could complement TRX518's effect on T cells.