Vaccinex, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCNX) is pioneering a differentiated approach to treating cancer and neurologic diseases through the inhibition of semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D). SEMA4D is a potent biological effector that is believed to prevent immune infiltration and induce myeloid suppressor cells in tumors and also triggers neuroinflammation through reactive gliosis in the brain. The company’s lead drug candidate, pepinemab, blocks SEMA4D and has potential to increase immune activity against tumors and to reprogram underlying pathogenic immune mechanisms that amplify damage in chronic neurological disorders such as Azheimer’s and Huntington’s disease.
The company additionally is leveraging its proprietary drug discovery platform, ActivMAb®, to create opportunities for future pipeline expansion and strategic collaborations.
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