Current cancer drugs are designed to inhibit a single aspect of the disease but are unable to cure most patients.
Bioarchitech is mining the genetic code of viruses to produce multifunctional therapies. Our candidates both kill cancer cells and induce immunity, eliminating the metastatic seeds of cancer within the body.
Pipeline
Two cancer immunotherapy assets designed to treat cancer at every stage.
BA-V151, an intravenous viral therapy, designed to treat metastatic cancer with comprehensive reach.
BA-R166, a direct intratumoural injection of RNA, that focuses on treating early-stage cancers at risk of spreading.
BA-V151 Mechanism of Action
A multifunctional immunotherapy that represents an innovative leap forward in cancer treatment. Engineered using a modified Vaccinia virus, BA-V151 selectively replicates within tumour cells, sparing healthy tissue while unleashing a potent attack on cancer. When administered intravenously, the virus not only directly destroys tumour cells but also acts as a powerful vaccine adjuvant increasing tumour specific T cells.
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To enhance its anti-cancer effects, BA-V151 is equipped with a gene encoding a proprietary single-domain antibody (sdAb) that we developed as a potent inhibitor of the “don’t eat me signal” CD47. By blocking CD47, BA-V151 enables cells of the immune system to phagocytose cancer cells more effectively, bypassing one of the key mechanisms that tumours use to resist immune surveillance and antibody therapy.
The anti-CD47 sdAb enhanced antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis to a range of monoclonal antibody drugs including trastuzumab (Herceptin®).
In proof of concept experiments, BA-V151 showed significant efficacy in an aggressive metastasising cancer model. While 20-50% of untreated animals typically die from metastases, BA-V151 treated animals were completely protected.
BA-R166 Mechanism of Action
BA-R166 is a groundbreaking, multifunctional RNA immunotherapeutic designed to transform cancer cells into personalised vaccines, leveraging the genes of RNA viruses in a novel self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) platform. Administered as a neo-adjuvant immunotherapy immediately post-diagnosis, BA-R166 is delivered via intratumoural injection, where it triggers immunogenic cell death to activate anti-tumour immunity ahead of surgery.
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BA-R166 is a cost-effective, off-the-shelf option that can potentially be given to all patients prior to surgery. With a rapid mechanism of action completing within a single day, BA-R166 seamlessly integrates into existing clinical pathways without disrupting treatment schedules. The first indications in our sights are oesophageal and lung cancer however BA-R166 is applicable to any indication where intratumoural injections are feasible.
BA-R166 (in orange) rapidly induces immunogenic cell death.