PROKARIUM
Prokarium, a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the oncology field of microbial immunotherapy, today shared preclinical data at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s (SITC) 36th Annual Meeting. The data presented in a scientific poster session establish the preclinical efficacy of their live-attenuated Salmonella enterica Typhi strain ZH9 as a novel microbial immunotherapy in bladder cancer. Prokarium is advancing the program towards the initiation of a clinical trial based on these promising results.
“Microbial immunotherapy, in the form of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), has been the standard-of-care for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer for 30 years. With BCG therapy suffering product supply shortages and being associated with significant side-effects and high disease recurrence and progression rates, there is huge opportunity for innovation and for a new approach to treating this disease,” said Livija Deban, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Prokarium. “Our data presented at SITC demonstrates that our therapy has the potential to offer a significant benefit over the current standard-of care.”
Therapeutic efficacy of intravesical Salmonella ZH9 was demonstrated in a stringent orthotopic bladder cancer model. Mice treated with a single intravesical dose of ZH9 four days after tumor challenge demonstrated significant survival benefit compared to both the control group and BCG-treated animals (median survival 30 vs. 20.5 (p=0.003) and 23.5 (p=0.025) days, respectively). Surviving ZH9-treated animals demonstrated 100% protection in a tumor rechallenge model, suggesting lasting anti-tumor immunity resulting from ZH9 treatment. Importantly, a single treatment with intravesical ZH9 resulted in a strong local immune response characterized by recruitment of NK cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and dendritic cells with an activated, cross-presenting (Ly6C+, CD103+) phenotype. In addition, the efficacy of intravesical ZH9 is further increased by a systemic priming dose of Salmonella, which recruits immune cells within the bladder prior to the intravesical dose, enhancing subsequent anti-tumor responses.
Presentation Details:
Title:
Novel microbial immunotherapy approach for the treatment of bladder cancer
Poster Number:
878
Presenter:
Livija Deban, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Prokarium
Date/Time:
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Full text of the abstracts was released on the SITC website at 7:00 a.m. ET on November 9, 2021.
About NMIBC
Bladder cancer represents 5% of all new cancer cases in the US and accounts for 550,000 new cases yearly worldwide. The clinical staging is determined by the depth of invasion into the bladder wall and more than 70% of cases are diagnosed at an early stage, also known as Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC). Despite the early diagnosis, the only approved therapies are Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) and chemotherapy. Bladder cancer has the highest recurrence rate of any known cancers (up to 80%), which makes it one of the most expensive cancers to treat, and patients ultimately require surgical bladder removal (cystectomy), associated with increased morbidity/reduced quality of life.
About Prokarium
Prokarium is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the field of microbial immunotherapy. Our pipeline is designed to unlock the next level of immuno-oncology by building on the most recent advances in cancer immunology. Prokarium’s lead program is focused on transforming the treatment paradigm in bladder cancer by orchestrating immune-driven, long-lasting antitumor effects. Prokarium is based London, UK. For further information, visit https://www.prokarium.com .
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211111005137/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
First Cessna SkyCourier Delivered into Mexico, Expanding Air Freight Capabilities for FlexCoah22.12.2025 18:13:00 CET | Press release
The first Cessna SkyCourier in Mexico was recently delivered to cargo transportation provider FlexCoah for use by the company’s aviation subsidiary, Altair. The aircraft — a freighter variant — will expand the company’s air freight capabilities throughout the country. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222890759/en/ First Cessna SkyCourier delivered into Mexico, expanding air freight capabilities for FlexCoah (Photo Credit: Textron Aviation) The Cessna SkyCourier is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company. “The Cessna SkyCourier’s combination of reliability, payload capacity and mission flexibility makes it a powerful asset for operators looking to scale their operations while maintaining cost-efficiency,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. “The delivery of the Cessna SkyCourier to FlexCoah reflects the aircraft’s growing role in tran
Proudly Produced in Donegal: ProAmpac Invests in the Future of Food Board Manufacturing22.12.2025 17:34:00 CET | Press release
ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, is strengthening its operational footprint with the expansion of Food Board manufacturing capabilities at its Donegal, Ireland campus. The addition of a new, purpose-built Food Board production area within the existing site reinforces ProAmpac’s commitment to innovation, efficiency, and customer service across the food packaging sector. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222149380/en/ Carr & Sons Smoked Salmon - ProAmpac As an extension of the existing Donegal operations, which support the pet food, food-to-go, and CPG markets, the expanded production area increases capacity and precision. A state-of-the-art guillotine system delivers cleaner cuts and consistent board quality, ensuring every sheet meets ProAmpac’s performance standards. The expanded facility area introduces several key improvements for customers: Dedicated Customer Service T
Coherent Solutions closes strategic investment led by IceLake22.12.2025 16:07:00 CET | Press release
Coherent Solutions, a global digital engineering firm, has announced the closing of the strategic investment from IceLake, a leading private equity investor specializing in partnering with high-growth business services organizations. The transaction, previously announced in September 2025, has now received all necessary regulatory approvals. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222791182/en/ Coherent Solutions and IceLake close strategic investment Coherent Solutions employs ~2,000 digital engineering, product, and design professionals across Europe and Latin America. The company builds and modernizes digital products and platforms for growing scale-ups and established global brands. “In a market saturated with AI claims, we’re seeing clients prioritize partners who can convert technology into measurable business outcomes,” said Igor Epshteyn, CEO of Coherent Solutions. “Staying grounded in digital value creatio
China Industry Leaders Convene in Jianshui to Chart the Blueberry Sector’s Growth Path22.12.2025 14:32:00 CET | Press release
The Third Yunnan Blueberry Conference and the release ceremony of the “Xinhua–Yunnan Honghe Blueberry Industry Development Index Report” opened on December 19 in Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222516223/en/ The opening ceremony of the conference on 19th Dec in Jianshui. The conference has attracted scholars, experts, business representatives, and purchasers from across China, who have gathered here to explore pathways for promoting the high-quality development of the blueberry industry. During the three-day conference, organizers convened two major signing ceremonies: a cooperation agreement to jointly establish the Yunnan Blueberry Research Institute, and a strategic agreement to enhance financial support for the full industrial chain of Honghe blueberries. Outstanding organizations and individuals contributin
Modon Holding Forms Joint Venture With Related Companies and Panepinto Properties to Deliver Harborside 4, a Luxury Residential Tower Along the Waterfront in the Heart of Downtown Jersey City22.12.2025 14:17:00 CET | Press release
Modon acquires a majority equity stake in Harborside 4, a prime 54-story development scheme in downtown Jersey City which will deliver 800 luxury rental apartments and condos in Q1 2029Joint venture with Related and Panepinto supports Modon’s ongoing strategy to diversify its global portfolio through high quality investments and strong international partnerships Modon Holding PSC (“Modon”) today announced a new joint venture to deliver Harborside 4, a 54-story residential tower on one of the last prime waterfront sites in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. Modon will hold a majority equity stake alongside leading US developer Related Companies and long-established Jersey City firm Panepinto Properties (the “Joint Venture”), marking a further milestone in the Group’s strategy to scale its diversified global portfolio. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222455854/en/ Harborside 4 render (Photo: AETOSWire) Ha
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom