ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaccinex, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCNX, “Vaccinex”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a differentiated approach to treating neurodegenerative disease and cancer through the inhibition of SEMA4D, today announced its COO and Senior Vice President, Discovery and Translational Medicine, Elizabeth Evans, PhD, will be making a podium presentation at the AAIC Advancements: Immunity conference. This Alzheimer’s Association-sponsored event is taking place both in-person and virtually on March 23-24, 2023, in Boston, Massachusetts.

“Through our translational research work and ongoing clinical program, Vaccinex has learned a great deal about semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D) and its role in neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s Disease (HD) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). This work has provided an important foundation for continued development of pepinemab, our SEMA4D blocking antibody, including the ongoing Phase 1/2a SIGNAL AD study for which topline data is expected in mid-2024. There is a growing excitement about the promise of targeting neuroinflammation as a novel approach for treatment of AD, and we are pleased that our colleague, Dr. Elizabeth Evans, has been invited by AAIC to present our work at this exciting conference” said Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Vaccinex. “We look forward to share our learnings with the Alzheimer’s Disease community during this AAIC Conference and updating the clinical and investment communities on our progress in 2023.”

AAIC Conference Presentation Details

About Vaccinex, Inc.
Vaccinex, Inc. is pioneering a differentiated approach to treating neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) and cancer through the inhibition of semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D). The Company’s lead drug candidate, pepinemab, blocks SEMA4D, a potent biological effector that it believes triggers inflammation and loss of homeostatic functions in chronic diseases of the brain and prevents immune infiltration into tumors. In NDD, pepinemab is being studied as a monotherapy in a Phase 1/2a trial, the SIGNAL-AD Alzheimer’s Disease study, with ongoing exploration of potential Phase 3 development in Huntington’s disease. SIGNAL-AD is supported in part by funding from the Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. In oncology, pepinemab is being evaluated in combination with KEYTRUDA^® in the Phase 1b/2 KEYNOTE B-84 study in recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (R/M HNSCC) and in combination with Bavencio^® in a Phase 1b/2 study in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The oncology clinical program also includes investigator-sponsored studies in breast cancer and melanoma.

KEYTRUDA^®/pembrolizumab is a registered trademark of Merck & Co., Inc.
Bavencio^®/avelumab is co-developed and co-commercialized by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc

Forward Looking Statements
To the extent that statements contained in this presentation are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Vaccinex, Inc. (“Vaccinex,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), they are forward-looking statements reflecting management’s current beliefs and expectations. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, expectations and objectives with respect to the results and timing of the KEYNOTE-B84 clinical trial, planned interim analysis, the use and potential benefits of pepinemab in R/M HNSCC, lung cancer, metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma and other indications, the potential for benefits as compared to single agent KEYTRUDA^® or BAVENCIO^®, the expected timeline for publication and disclosure of trial results, and other statements identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “appears,” “expect,” “planned,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “hypothesis,” “potential,” “suggest,” “advance,” and similar expressions or their negatives (as well as other words and expressions referencing future events, conditions, or circumstances). Forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome of our research and pre-clinical development programs, clinical development programs, future results, performance, or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, uncertainties inherent in the execution, cost and completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials, that interim and preliminary data may not be predictive of final results and does not ensure success in later clinical trials, uncertainties related to regulatory approval, risks related to our dependence on our lead product candidate pepinemab, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other matters that could affect our development plans or the commercial potential of our product candidates. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement, see the section titled “Risk Factors” in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s annual year-end Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the SEC.

Investor Contact                                        
John Mullaly                                        
LifeSci Advisors, LLC                                
617-429-3548 
jmullaly@lifesciadvisors.com