Genticel is a French clinical stage biotechnology company founded by Benedikt Timmerman in 2001 and focused on the development of innovative immunotherapies designed to treat virus infections and virus-induced diseases. Genticel aims to become a leader in immunotherapy in multiple indications, starting with HPV and HPV induced diseases such as cervical cancer.
To achieve this goal, we have developed a state-of-the-art antigen delivery vector, Vaxiclase, which can be used with multiple antigens in multiple indications to treat a broad range of infectious diseases and cancers.
Genticel is currently advancing a pipeline of therapeutic vaccines candidates for millions of HPV infected women. 93 million women are infected with HPV 16 and/or HPV 18 types, responsible for 70% of cervical cancer cases worldwide. There is no treatment available for these infected women who have yet to develop high grade lesions or cervical cancer . It is estimated that the risk of evolution to high grade lesions or cervical cancer for these women is approximately 50 times higher than the risk for uninfected persons such as adolescents commonly vaccinated by prophylactic vaccines.
Genticel is currently advancing a pipeline of therapeutic vaccines candidates for these millions of HPV infected women. Its lead bivalent candidate, GTL001 (aka ProCervix in Europe), is in a phase 2 clinical trial in Europe. This therapeutic vaccine aims to fill the therapeutic gap between the preventive vaccines prescribed before infection by HPV and the surgical treatments used after lesions appear. In parallel, the company is also developing a multivalent candidate, GTL002, targeting 6 types of HPV viruses (including HPV 16 and HPV 18), representing 85% of cervical cancer occurrences. GTL002 has achieved proof-of-concept and could enter a phase 1 clinical trial in 2017.
