ShinlaGen Pioneers New Path in Immuno-Oncology with GEEV Platform

Oncolytic Virus Platform GEEV
Effective Even for Metastatic Cancer via Intravenous Administration
Synergy Expected with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and More

ShinlaGen is taking on a new challenge in the global new drug development market by introducing its next-generation oncolytic virus therapy platform, GEEV.

According to the industry on September 11, ShinlaGen's GEEV platform is a next-generation cancer therapy technology designed to allow oncolytic viruses to evade attacks from the immune system and be repeatedly administered intravenously, thereby achieving systemic anti-cancer effects. Oncolytic viruses are genetically modified viruses that selectively infect and destroy only cancer cells.

The most significant feature of GEEV is that it can be administered intravenously. Conventional oncolytic virus therapies often require direct injection into tumors to be effective. However, this method is limited to local tumors and is difficult to apply to metastatic or deep-seated tumors. GEEV is designed to evade immune attacks by expressing complement regulatory proteins on the virus surface, allowing it to avoid the body's complement response (immune reaction), and also incorporates a mechanism to suppress neutralizing antibody responses that arise from repeated administration. Simply put, ShinlaGen's technology acts like a protective shield for the oncolytic virus inside the body, preventing it from being attacked. Additionally, it is designed so that even with repeated administrations, the body does not mistake the virus for an enemy and block it. As a result, the oncolytic virus therapy can be administered intravenously, remain stable in the body, and maintain its anti-cancer efficacy even with long-term repeated administration.

Data obtained from the preclinical stage supports this potential. In animal studies of ShinlaGen's oncolytic virus 'SJ-600' series, which utilizes the GEEV platform, intravenous administration showed even stronger anti-cancer effects than direct tumor injection. In addition to directly destroying cancer cells, changes in the tumor microenvironment triggered a systemic immune response. This means that GEEV has laid the foundation for evolving from a single local tumor therapy to a systemic treatment. This is particularly significant for the industry, as it suggests high potential for application to solid tumors with limited treatment options, such as liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers.

Scalability is also cited as a strength of GEEV. ShinlaGen is pursuing a strategy to develop new pipelines in-house using this platform, while also expanding indications by combining it with external technologies or candidate substances. The fact that the direct tumor-destroying effect of oncolytic viruses can be synergistically enhanced when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibodies, or cell therapies is an area already drawing the attention of global pharmaceutical companies. Leading global pharmaceutical firms such as Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, and AstraZeneca are actively conducting clinical trials combining oncolytic viruses with immune checkpoint inhibitors, and GEEV is a platform that could offer collaboration opportunities within this trend. There is also considerable potential for joint development with domestic and international biotech companies or for global technology transfer.

The versatile application of GEEV could extend beyond oncology to other therapeutic areas. Its core technology can also be applied to the development of treatments for rare diseases and infectious disease vaccines. A ShinlaGen representative stated, "GEEV already has a strong basis for combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, whose anti-cancer effects have been proven, so we expect synergies in global clinical trials and regulatory approvals. As a result, we anticipate that GEEV will have better accessibility for commercialization and a faster development timeline compared to other next-generation cancer therapy technologies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.