On November 20, 2023 VBI Vaccines Inc. (Nasdaq: VBIV) (VBI), a biopharmaceutical company driven by immunology in the pursuit of powerful prevention and treatment of disease, reported that additional biomarker data from the Phase 1/2a study of VBI-1901, the Company’s cancer vaccine immunotherapeutic candidate, in recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) patients, were highlighted in a poster presentation at the 28th Annual Meeting and Education Day of the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO), held on Friday, November 17, 2023 (Press release, VBI Vaccines, NOV 20, 2023, View Source [SID1234637864]).

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New proof-of-mechanism data demonstrated that vaccination with VBI-1901 was associated with T-cell activation capable of trafficking across the blood-brain barrier to the tumor microenvironment, an area which is known to be highly immunosuppressive and difficult to infiltrate. The additional peripheral biomarker data assessed levels of C4G – a protein fragment produced when cytotoxic T-cells, or killer T-cells, migrate into and throughout the tumor microenvironment – high baseline levels of which have been associated with longer overall survival in studies conducted in metastatic melanoma patients [Prakash et al., 2014].1 After vaccination with VBI-1901 in the Phase 1/2a study in recurrent GBM patients, the data showed there were higher blood/plasma levels of C4G in patients who achieved partial tumor responses than in patients with stable or progressive disease. Additionally, higher levels of C4G after vaccination with VBI-1901 have been associated with longer progression-free survival.

"We are very pleased to share these significant mechanistic findings at SNO," said David E. Anderson, Ph.D., VBI’s Chief Scientific Officer. "The GBM tumor microenvironment is notoriously immunosuppressive and difficult to penetrate, which is why most treatment needs to be administered intratumorally, and why there are currently so few effective treatment options for patients. We believe that these data continue to enrich the potential for VBI-1901 to have meaningful impact in recurrent and primary GBM, and we look forward to data from the next phases of development in each setting."

Data Highlights from Phase 1/2a Study Data in Recurrent GBM Patients- VBI-1901 10µg + GM-CSF Study Arms

(n=16)

44% disease control rate achieved (n=7/16) – disease control rate is defined as stable disease (SD) + partial tumor response (PR) + complete tumor response (CR)
2 PRs were observed – 1 patient was on treatment for more than 28 months (2.33 years), surviving at least 40 months (3.33 years) as of August 1, 2023, with a maximum tumor reduction of 93% relative to baseline
5 additional patients demonstrated SD for a sustained period of time
All patients with a tumor response (PR or SD) (n=7/16) reached a minimum survival of 12 months
Median overall survival (mOS) was 12.9 months, comparing favorably to 8-month mOS for monotherapy standard-of-care2
Ongoing Phase 2b Study Design in Recurrent GBM Patients

Multi-center, randomized, controlled, open-label study in up to 60 patients with first recurrent GBM

Patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio across two study arms:
Intradermal VBI-1901 + GM-CSF: 10 µg dose every 4 weeks until clinical disease progression
Active comparator: monotherapy standard-of-care – either intravenous carmustine or oral lomustine, every 6 weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicity
Endpoints include:
Safety and tolerability
Overall survival (OS) – median and overall
Tumor response rate (TRR)
Progression-free survival (PFS)
Immunologic responses
Reduction in corticosteroid use relative to baseline
Change in quality of life compared to baseline
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has considered demonstration of a statistically significant improvement in overall survival relative to a randomized control arm to be clinically significant and has recognized this as criteria to support the approval of new oncology drugs.3

For more information about the Phase 2b study, visit clinicaltrials.gov and reference trial identifier: NCT03382977.

About GBM and VBI-1901

Scientific literature suggests CMV infection is prevalent in multiple solid tumors, including glioblastoma (GBM). GBM is among the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumors in humans. In the U.S. alone, 14,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The current standard of care for treating GBM is surgical resection, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Even with aggressive treatment, GBM progresses rapidly and has a high mortality.

VBI-1901 is a novel cancer vaccine immunotherapeutic candidate developed using VBI’s enveloped virus-like particle (eVLP) technology to target two highly immunogenic cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigens, gB and pp65. The FDA has granted VBI-1901 Fast Track Designation and Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. These designations are intended to provide certain benefits to drug developers, including more frequent meetings with the FDA, and Accelerated Approval and Priority Review, if relevant criteria are met, among other benefits.