BlueWillow Biologics in Ann Arbor Patents Cancer Vaccine

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Ann Arbor’s BlueWillow Biologics Wednesday announced the issuance of a U.S. patent on its vaccine titled, “Cancer Vaccine Compositions And Methods Of Using The Same” to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, under an exclusive license to BlueWillow.

The patent allows for the use of BlueWillow’s NanoVax platform with tumor antigens to create therapeutic vaccines that have the potential to generate balanced and durable immune responses to treat existing cancers.

“The awarding of this patent demonstrates that our NanoVax technology has potential in areas beyond infectious disease,” says Dave Peralta, CEO of BlueWillow. “We have a clear opportunity to leverage our innovative platform in the immuno-oncology space and are now actively exploring collaborations with experts in this field.

“Cancer has a devastating impact on so many lives. On behalf of the employees at BlueWillow, we are thrilled to have an opportunity to play a role in fighting this terrible disease.”

BlueWillow’s vaccine platform is built on the company’s NanoVax technology that uses a unique oil-in-water nanoemulsion adjuvant. When administered intranasally, BlueWillow vaccines elicit both systemic and mucosal immune responses, which could play an important role in treating mucosal cancers, including tumors of the nose, mouth, throat, and lung.

Animal studies conducted by the University of Michigan have shown that intranasal vaccination with NanoVax technology reduces metastasis of colon cancer to the lung. Future studies are expected to incorporate both intranasal and intramuscular administration of vaccines built on the NanoVax platform.