Oncovita, a spin-off from the Institut Pasteur, has been granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its MVdeltaC cancer immunotherapy, designed to treat pleural mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the pleura often caused by asbestos.
An innovative therapeutic approach
The treatment developed by Oncovita, called MVdeltaC, is a a novel immunotherapy based on a genetically modified attenuated Schwarz strain measles virus, engineered to selectively replicate in tumour cells and stimulate a potent anti-cancer immune response. This approach combines direct tumor cell lysis and immune system activation, with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with advanced solid tumors, including pleural mesothelioma
This disease affects around 3,000 people a year in the United States, and currently has few effective treatment options. Orphan drug designation will give Oncovita access to financial and regulatory benefits, enabling it to develop its treatment more rapidly.
The first clinical trials are scheduled for 2026, marking an important milestone in the development of this new therapeutic approach.
An innovation born of the joint Institut Pasteur-Oncovita laboratory
This breakthrough is part of the joint laboratory created in May 2024 with the Institut Pasteur, dedicated to research in immunotherapy and vaccinology. Co-directed by Prof. Frédéric Tangy (scientific director of Oncovita and pioneer of the Measovir® technology) and the Institut Pasteur teams, this strategic partnership will accelerate the development of candidate vaccines through to clinical proof of concept. MVdeltaC is derived from the Measovir® platform.
The joint Institut Pasteur - Oncovita laboratory is also carrying out research into viral defective interfering RNAs (DI-RNAs) produced by modified recombinant measles viruses, which could give rise to a new generation of therapies.
