Vaccinex Study Shows Pepinemab May Reshape Tumor Immune Environment in Melanoma
News related to:Vaccinex, Inc · 1 min read
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 07, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Vaccinex, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has announced the publication of a study in Nature Communications that highlights the potential of its lead drug candidate, pepinemab, in reshaping the tumor immune environment. The study, conducted in collaboration with Emory University and Winship Cancer Institute, evaluated the use of pepinemab in combination with checkpoint inhibitors nivolumab and/or ipilimumab in patients with resectable metastatic melanoma.
The study, which included 38 patients, aimed to measure treatment-associated changes in tumor immunity, focusing on predefined primary biomarker endpoints.
Pepinemab, a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody designed to block Semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D), was associated with broad remodeling of the tumor immune environment. The study found that pepinemab-containing regimens were linked to stronger biomarker signals associated with tumor recognition and antigen presentation, as well as the recruitment and activation of immune cells. The treatment was also observed to promote the development of mature lymphoid aggregates, which are highly organized immune structures that resemble specialized sites where multiple components of an immune response can come together within or near tumors.
Importantly, greater abundance of mature lymphoid aggregates was associated with longer recurrence-free survival among the study participants. However, the small, biomarker-focused trial was not designed to establish clinical efficacy, and further confirmation is needed through larger, randomized studies.
The study was sponsored by Emory University and Winship Cancer Institute, with Vaccinex providing pepinemab and supporting the research program. The company's involvement included scientific and operational oversight, generation and analysis of study data, and development of the scientific publication.
The clinical trial is registered as NCT03769155.
The results of this study support continued evaluation of pepinemab-containing combinations in melanoma and other solid tumors. Vaccinex is also exploring the use of pepinemab in combination with KEYTRUDA® in the Phase 1b/2 KEYNOTE-B84 study in recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (HNSCC).