Develops antibody-based therapies for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Vaccinex, Inc., a pioneering clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Rochester, New York, is dedicated to advancing treatments for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases by targeting semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D). Central to its mission is the development of pepinemab, the company's lead drug candidate designed to inhibit SEMA4D. This biological effector plays a crucial role in impeding immune cell infiltration into tumors and triggering inflammation in chronic brain diseases.
Pepinemab is currently undergoing rigorous evaluation in clinical trials, including a Phase 1b/2 study for recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer and a Phase 1/2a study focusing on Alzheimer's Disease. Vaccinex, Inc. is also exploring potential Phase 3 development of pepinemab for Huntington's disease. The company's innovation extends to its proprietary drug discovery platform, ActivMAb, which uniquely enables the selection of antibodies against multi-pass membrane receptors, enhancing its therapeutic capabilities through strategic collaborations.
Founded in 2001, Vaccinex, Inc. continues to drive forward with a commitment to transformative biomedical research. By leveraging its deep scientific expertise and strategic partnerships, the company remains at the forefront of developing novel therapies that aim to address critical unmet medical needs in oncology and neurology.