Human trials for cancer vaccines

Cancer vaccines may sound like a new type of scientific research, but they already exist and are gaining more attention as multiple cancer vaccines are entering early human trials.

With advances in vaccine technology (particularly mRNA vaccines) and a better understanding of cancer genetics, it's possible to test preventative cancer vaccines aimed at colon, pancreatic, breast, and other genetically-caused cancers.

Vaccinations against HPV, a major cause of throat and mouth cancers, are expected to yield significant reductions in rates in the US, but not until after 2045. Although there is no cure for existing HPV infections, it is preventable with vaccines.

A vaccine against cancers caused by Lynch syndrome, an inherited disorder, will be among the first to test whether a vaccine can stop non-viral cancers from appearing. The Lynch trial is among a few looking to test a new generation of cancer vaccines. The vaccine uses an engineered virus studded with “neoantigens,” targets that are only found on cancer cells.

One Dealroom.co, we've mapped over 60+ RNA-based startups, which are utilizing technology to shape and innovate how the medical industry builds vaccines.  Discover the latest startups creating and manufacturing vaccinations to tackle and cure the world's toughest diseases.

In other news

🧠 AI-enabled app evaluates MRI data to help analyze dementia. Neurological IT company Combinostics announces the Dementia Differential Analysis report on the differential diagnosis of dementias. The app-based report visualizes comparisons of patient MRI biomarkers with other data from patients. - HealthcareITNews

🍄 Beckley adds digital element to its psychedelic drug trials. The Oxford-based drug developer said it will make use of Empatica’s wearable devices and software in its studies to enrich the data it can harvest from them and hopefully improve patient outcomes and safety. - PharmaPhorum

⌚️ Wearable technology promises to revolutionize health care. Health care is a conservative industry—and rightly so, given the stakes. Yet it risks slowing the uptake of digital medicine not for legitimate concerns about safety, but because of the inertia of regulators, standards bodies, insurers and medical schools. - The Economist

Latest healthtech and biotech deals

The largest from last week:

🇺🇸 Kriya Therapeutics, a gene therapy company advancing novel technologies and therapeutics, raised $270M in Series C. The company intends to use the funds for the advancement of its pipeline and continued scaling of its engineering, manufacturing, and computational platforms.

🇺🇸 Apiject, a medtech company in the fill and finish and delivery of injectable vaccines and medicines, raised $111M to continue its development of a plastic prefilled injection system and to deploy its equipment and proprietary technologies to licensees. 

Other notable deals from around the globe:

🇺🇸 Legacy Health, a digital fertility clinic, raised $25M in Series B. The startup aims to humanize the path to parenthood by giving customers access to sperm analysis, DNA fragmentation and sperm freezing all from their home. 

 🇫🇷 Therapixel, Paris-based specializing in design and commercialization of AI-powered medical imaging software, raised €15M in Series B round to boost its commercial presence in the US.

🇦🇺 Age Up Health, provides home care packages to help elderly people stay in their homes, raised AUD10M.

🇫🇮 Gubbe, connects young people with the elderly who may need contact or help with various things, raised €4M in Seed round.

Read up on all the latest health deals in Dealroom.co

Tip of the week

🚀 Dealroom 2022 edition of the EMEA VC Prominence Rank is now live. Here you can find the top EMEA VCs most active health investors. 👈

Job opportunities

6.3K+ open roles in European healthtech companies, such as Teckro, Min Doktor, Natural Cycles, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and more.

At Dealroom.co, we are hiring for 6 positions including Account Excutive, Office Manager, and more.

Discover 112K jobs openings at healthtech and biotech startups. (login for full results)

Dive in

🎟️ Emerge Global Health Innovation conference is coming up in May. Grab your tickets now and dive into our joint report on The State of Healthtech in the MENA region.

🎓 Healthtech & Biotech university spinouts

🗺️ Healthtech investment heatmap

🦄 New Healthtech and Biotech unicorns announced in 2021 alone.

Knowledge partners

Laura Rodriguez

Healthtech Specialist
Dealroom.co

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