CureVac and myNEO (Flanders) fight cancer together
A new international partnership plans to open innovative avenues in the fight against cancer. The young, Flanders-based biotech firm myNEO is going to work with CureVac, a vaccine developer from Germany and a major player in the world of mRNA technology. The German company plans to leverage myNEO’s expertise in neoantigen targets to develop a new type of immunotherapy.
Cancer vaccination
Based in Ghent (Flanders), myNEO grew out of the Novalis biotech fund in 2018, founded by two leading entrepreneurs in the field: Ghent University professor Wim Van Criekinge and his childhood friend Jan Van den Berghe.
It is not the first time that myNEO has put itself on the map with innovations in the development of cancer treatment and immunotherapy. Since its foundation, the biotech company has been looking for a new form of cancer vaccination, in which the patient’s immune system is taught to recognize cancer cells. Neoantigens – cell surface proteins found exclusively in tumor cells – are key in this treatment.
Great potential for immunotherapies
The pioneering innovations of myNEO have not escaped the attention of international heavyweights in the pharma and biotech industries. Janssen Pharmaceutica, Hookipa Pharma and Abera Bioscience have already entered into partnerships with the Flanders-based biotech company. Now, CureVac is joining the list.
The aim of the collaboration is to combine myNEO’s neoantigen targets with CureVac’s mRNA technology to create cancer vaccines.
CureVac is a pioneer in mRNA technology, and the use of that technology for the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines is promising. We are confident that the combination of our innovations offers great potential for immunotherapies.
Part of a leading ecosystem for life sciences & health
Biotech pioneer myNEO is just one of the many, cutting-edge organizations and companies that make up Flanders’ diverse and innovation-driven ecosystem for life sciences & health research and business. Want to unravel this ecosystem in a virtual yet interactive way? Head to the Flanders360 platform and discover hundreds of successful companies, universities, R&D centers, incubators and other life sciences & health industry players in Flanders.
Alternatively, check out our industry overview to learn more about the available tax, legal and other incentives for establishing your life sciences & health hub in Flanders.
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Source: website Made in Oost-Vlaanderen
