OncoPep, a biotech company developing a potential therapeutic vaccine for multiple myeloma, is the Myeloma Beacon’s newest pharmaceutical industry sponsor.

OncoPep was founded in 2010 to develop novel cancer immunotherapies that stimulate a patient’s own immune system to attack cancer cells. The company’s first investigational immuno­therapy is PVX-410, a cancer vac­cine based on re­search in the laboratory of Dr. Kenneth Anderson and Dr. Nikhil Munshi at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

“OncoPep’s decision to support The Myeloma Beacon is yet another ex­ample of a forward-looking organi­za­tion finding itself aligned with the Beacon’s own innovative approach to serving the global myeloma com­mu­ni­ty,” said Boris Simkovich, founder and publisher of The Beacon.

He added, “It says a great deal about an organization’s commitment to the myeloma community when, at such an early stage in its development, it is willing to devote scarce resources to supporting patients and their families.”

OncoPep chief executive officer Doris Peterkin also commented on the sponsorship. “OncoPep is pleased to aid The Myeloma Beacon in its mission to improve the treatment, care, and support of myeloma patients,” she noted. “We appreciate the Beacon’s efforts to keep the myeloma community informed and connected.”

OncoPep’s potential new myeloma therapy PVX-410 ^[1] consists of four novel peptides that target specific tumor-associated antigens found on myeloma cells. The company’s ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of PVX-410 initially tested the vaccine as a single agent in patients with smoldering myeloma. The trial was ex­panded earlier this year to add a group of smoldering myeloma patients who will be treated with both PVX-410 and Revlimid ^[2] (lenalidomide).  Recruitment of patients for the PVX-410 / Revlimid arm of the trial is still ongoing.

About Sponsorship Of The Beacon

The Beacon recognizes the support of sponsors such as OncoPep by including their logos on the pages of the Beacon website. In addition, sponsor names are listed in the email news alerts the Beacon sends its news alert subscribers.

Beacon sponsors do not play any role, however, in the Beacon’s editorial process. All decisions regarding content published by The Beacon and its contributors are made by the Beacon’s editorial board, and edi­tor­i­al independence is considered a key part of the Beacon’s goal “to improve the treatment, care, and sup­port available to current and future multiple myeloma patients worldwide.”

The Beacon’s editorial independence is further ensured by the fact that its sponsorships are non-exclusive.

A complete, regularly updated list of all companies and other organizations that financially support the Beacon’s activities on behalf of the myeloma community can be viewed at the Beacon’s sponsors page ^[3].

Further Details About PVX-410

Additional information about PVX-410 can be found at the PVX-410 information page ^[4] at the OncoPep web­site. Information about the ongoing PVX-410 clinical trial in smolder­ing myeloma can be found at clinicaltrials.gov ^[5].