Evaxion adds brain cancer vaccine program, drops EVX-03

Evaxion A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX) announced the addition of EVX-05, a therapeutic vaccine candidate targeting glioblastoma, to its research and development pipeline, according to a company statement dated August 17, 2026.

EVX-05 is designed as an off-the-shelf vaccine targeting endogenous retrovirus-derived antigens shared among glioblastoma patients. The targets were identified using Evaxion's AI-Immunology platform. Evaxion is collaborating with Duke University School of Medicine on the program, with Professor Mustafa Khasraw and his team expected to conduct initial clinical testing.

Glioblastoma has an incidence rate of 3.19 per 100,000 persons in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health. The New England Journal of Medicine reported in 2005 that approximately 50% of patients die within one year of diagnosis, and no cure currently exists.

EVX-05 uses the same endogenous retrovirus-targeting approach as EVX-04, Evaxion's vaccine candidate for acute myeloid leukemia. Evaxion said costs associated with EVX-05 are within existing budgets and will not affect its cash runway, which the company said extends into the second half of 2027.

As part of the pipeline restructuring, Evaxion discontinued its EVX-03 program. The company said EVX-05 builds on learnings from that program.

"We have an outstanding collaboration with Duke University and now see the huge benefits of combining their extensive disease understanding and clinical expertise with the unique target discovery capabilities of AI-Immunology," said Birgitte Rønø, Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Evaxion.

Evaxion said it is currently optimizing a lead vaccine candidate for EVX-05 in advance of clinical testing. The company plans to discuss the program further during a conference call scheduled for August 20, 2026, alongside its second-quarter 2026 financial results.

You May Also Be Interested In

• HSBC Downgrades Burberry Group PLC (BRBY:LN) (BBRYF) to Hold
• Allegion names Serge Zappone to lead international unit
• Estée Lauder expands roles of Brian Franz and Amber English