Copenhagen, Denmark — August 17, 2026

Evaxion A/S has expanded and refocused its cancer vaccine pipeline with EVX-05, an AI-designed, off-the-shelf therapeutic vaccine program targeting glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. The new program is being developed using Evaxion’s proprietary AI-Immunology™ platform, which is designed to identify novel tumor-associated antigens that can potentially be targeted through immune-based therapies. EVX-05 is specifically designed around conserved endogenous retrovirus (ERV)-derived antigens identified across glioblastoma patient tumor samples, creating the potential for an off-the-shelf vaccine approach rather than a patient-specific vaccine. The company is collaborating with experts at Duke University School of Medicine to advance the program toward initial clinical testing, combining Evaxion’s AI-driven target discovery capabilities with Duke’s expertise in glioblastoma research and clinical development.

EVX-05 Targets Conserved Glioblastoma Antigens

EVX-05 is being developed as a novel therapeutic approach for glioblastoma, where existing treatment options remain limited and patient outcomes remain poor. Evaxion’s approach focuses on ERV-derived antigens, a potentially important class of cancer targets that may be shared between patients. The company believes its AI-Immunology™ platform can identify conserved and immunogenic targets that may be suitable for developing an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine. Evaxion is currently optimizing a lead vaccine candidate for EVX-05 as it moves toward initial clinical testing. The collaboration with Duke University School of Medicine is expected to support this development process, with Professor Mustafa Khasraw and his team potentially conducting the initial clinical testing. The collaboration could also provide a cost-efficient pathway for evaluating EVX-05 in a potential Phase 1 clinical trial, while incorporating clinical expertise and knowledge of patient needs into the development strategy. The program builds on the same ERV-targeting concept being explored by Evaxion in EVX-04, its cancer vaccine candidate for acute myeloid leukemia.

Evaxion Refocuses R&D Pipeline Around AI-Immunology

The launch of EVX-05 forms part of Evaxion’s broader effort to refocus its research and development pipeline toward cancer vaccine programs with potentially broad applicability. The company said the EVX-03 program has been discontinued as part of portfolio management, while EVX-05 has been added without requiring additional funding outside the company’s existing budgets. According to Evaxion, the costs associated with EVX-05 are already captured within its current financial plans, allowing its cash runway to extend into the second half of 2027. The company views the EVX-05 program as an opportunity to apply its AI-Immunology™ technology to a major area of unmet medical need while leveraging biological targets that may be conserved across multiple patients. The strategy also highlights the potential scalability of Evaxion’s AI-driven vaccine discovery platform, which is being applied across personalized and off-the-shelf cancer vaccine programs as well as infectious disease vaccine development.

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AI-Driven Vaccine Development Moves Toward Clinical Testing

Evaxion’s EVX-05 program represents an early-stage development effort rather than a clinical-stage treatment, with the company currently optimizing the lead vaccine candidate before initial human testing. The collaboration with Duke University is therefore an important component of the program because it brings specialized glioblastoma research and clinical expertise into the development process. Glioblastoma remains a particularly challenging cancer because of its aggressive biology, limited treatment options and poor long-term outcomes. By using AI-Immunology™ to identify conserved tumor antigens, Evaxion aims to develop a vaccine that can stimulate an immune response against targets present across multiple glioblastoma patients. The company plans to provide further information about EVX-05 during its Q2 2026 business update and financial results conference call on August 20, 2026. The next major development milestones will include optimization of the vaccine candidate, preparation for clinical testing and potential initiation of an early-stage clinical study. EVX-05 therefore adds another AI-enabled cancer vaccine program to Evaxion’s pipeline while reinforcing the company’s focus on technology-driven approaches to high-unmet-need cancers..

Source:Evaxion press relese