Dr. George Katibah and Dr. Adam Grant describe the features and progress of the Company’s revolutionary technology
Lehi, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lehi, Utah – June 3rd, 2025 – CancerVax, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough universal cancer treatment (UCT) platform that will use the body’s immune system to fight cancer, today announced that two of its lead scientists, Dr. George Katibah and Dr. Adam Grant, were recently featured on Cytiva’s influential podcast series, Discovery Matters. The episode highlights CancerVax’s revolutionary approach to immunotherapy and its mission to create a therapy that can universally target and destroy cancer cells.
In the episode titled: “104. Vaccines: Inverse v traditional”, host Dodi Axelson explores how CancerVax’s technology is designed to “disguise” cancer cells as common pathogens, such as measles, enabling the body’s immune system to recognize and eliminate them effectively. Dr. Katibah and Dr. Grant explain how their universal cancer treatment platform operates through a highly targeted two-step process that detects and marks cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
“The immune system is really good at fighting diseases it’s seen before, like measles or chickenpox,” said Dr. Katibah. “We’re taking advantage of that by teaching cancer cells to mimic those threats. It’s not about retraining the immune system; it’s about showing cancer in a language the immune system already understands.”
During the conversation, the scientists emphasize how this universal strategy could overcome many of the limitations facing personalized cancer vaccines and current immunotherapies. Rather than building an immune response from scratch for each patient, CancerVax leverages the body’s existing defenses, allowing for faster and potentially more effective treatments.
Dr. Grant adds, “What’s most exciting about our universal cancer treatment platform is the potential precision of our Smart mRNA technology. Our Smart mRNA is designed to be turned on in cancer cells and turned off in healthy cells. This cancer specificity can be a huge leap forward to improving patient outcomes while significantly reducing harmful side effects.”
The interview also touches on the company’s recent milestones, including successful in-vitro validation of its Smart mRNA in multiple cancer cell lines and the ongoing development of a candidate therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
The Discovery Matters podcast is produced by Cytiva, a global leader in life sciences.
Listen to the podcast starting at the CancerVax segment here:
About CancerVax
CancerVax is a pre-clinical biotech company developing a novel Universal Cancer Treatment platform that will be customizable, as an injection, to treat many types of cancer. Our innovative approach DETECTS, MARKS, and KILLS only cancer cells. By making cancer cells look like well-immunized common diseases such as measles or chickenpox, we intend to use the body’s natural immune system to easily kill the cancer cells. We look forward to the day when treating cancer will be as simple as getting a shot – a better way to fight cancer. To learn more, please visit www.CancerVax.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict, many of which are outside our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.
Press Contact:
CancerVax, Inc.
Tel: (805) 356-1810
communications@CancerVax.com
