Developing oncolytic viral immunotherapies that empower the immune system to fight cancer, Candel Therapeutics - formerly dba as Advantagene, Inc. - is a (now) publicly traded (NASDAQ:CADL (July 2021) biopharmaceutical company structured around saving, extending and improving the lives of cancer patients and their families through use of innovative and personalized cancer immunotherapies. The firm's lead effort is the proprietary Gene Mediated Cytotoxic Immunotherapy (GMCI) - a platform technology designed to stimulate a patients immune system naturally to fight against the cancer. Based on a relatively low cost and readily available off-the-shelf viral vector product (aglatimagene besadenovec; a.k.a. AdV-tk) that generates a powerful patient-specific anti-tumor immune response in-vivo, GMCIis a novel and versatile technology that can be applied to a variety of solid tumors. Used for many years by hundreds of patients,, GMCIhas an established safety profile lacking the numerous side effects typically associated with cancer therapies. Synergistic with standard of care radiation, surgery, and some chemotherapy GMCI has a unique mechanism of action: focused on the immune system toward a patients own unique cancer, GMCIs safety and benign side effect profile can improve patient outcomes without interrupting therapies currently trusted by physicians and patients. Achieved results of Advantagene's early studies, working with the support of esteemed and influential leaders in the oncology community, are promising showing several unique characteristics providing benefits to patients, payors and providers that few other, if any, cancer therapies can deliver. Advantagene has understaken GMCI clinical cancer studies in prostate, brain, lung and pancreas, with notable clinical results to date. Further, the firm is researching potential use of GMCI in other solid tumor indications.
