First patient dosed in IO Biotech phase 1 trial of bladder cancer vaccine

The trial, conducted in conjunction with the University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, aims to evaluate IO102-IO103, the company’s investigational immune-modulating cancer vaccine, in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with BCG-unresponsive or intolerant, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

This is one of five investigator-initiated trials IO Biotech is supporting to evaluate IO102-IO103 in combination with different checkpoint inhibitor-based regimens across a variety of cancer types.

IO102-IO103 is an investigational immune-modulating cancer vaccine designed to target the immunosuppressive mechanisms mediated by the proteins indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and PD-L1.

Mai-Britt Zocca, CEO and president of IO Biotech, said: “We are pleased to be supporting this trial with the University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. In previous trials, we have seen that combination therapies with our lead product candidate, IO102-IO103, induce meaningful tumor regression while still achieving manageable tolerability for patients.”

“We look forward to seeing the safety and efficacy results of this trial to further support the development of IO102-IO103 as the potential backbone of combination therapies for treating multiple types of cancer.”

Mamta Parikh, associate professor and principal investigator for the clinical trial, added: “I look forward to working with IO Biotech on this trial to further investigate the possible use of IO102-IO103 in combination with pembrolizumab to treat patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer."

“Bladder cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and there remains a critical unmet need for these patients who may be averse to invasive bladder removal surgery or unresponsive to currently available therapies and we look forward to the results of this study.”