Torbjørn Furuseth, Chief Financial Officer of Targovax, said: "We are delighted that this European patent has been granted, further strengthening Targovax's intellectual property portfolio covering the very important combination of ONCOS-102 and anti-PD1 checkpoint inhibitors. The oncology market is ever expanding, with the immuno-oncology segment expected to see the largest growth in the coming years. Securing this patent protects our innovative oncolytic immunotherapy platform and strengthens our market position."

In 2019 Targovax reported encouraging data from part 1 of a trial in PD-1 checkpoint refractory melanoma. This trial examines how ONCOS-102 reactivates the immune system of patients that have progressed on checkpoint inhibitor treatment. The aim is to trigger relevant T-cell production and infiltration into the tumor so that patients who have become refractory can benefit from retreatment with the checkpoint inhibitor. Data from part 2 of this trial is expected later in 2020.

Targovax's lead product candidate, ONCOS-102, is a genetically modified oncolytic adenovirus, which has been engineered to selectively infect cancer cells and activate the immune system to fight the cancer. ONCOS-102 is currently being tested in mesothelioma, melanoma ovarian and colorectal cancers and has already shown promising clinical results both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy, and checkpoint inhibitors.