The company’s experimental EVX-01 drug triggered an immune response in every patient in a Phase 2 trial.
- 89% of the vaccine’s targets activated specific T-cell responses, which typically help the body attack cancer cells
- All six patients in the one-year extension study showed no signs of cancer progression.
- The data will be presented in a poster presentation at ESMO Congress on October 24.
Shares of Evaxion (EVAX) jumped more than 8% in pre-market trading on Friday, after the biotech firm reported promising three-year results from a Phase 2 trial of its experimental personalized vaccine to treat advanced melanoma.
EVX-01 triggered an immune response in every patient in the trial, with 89% of the vaccine’s targets activating specific T-cell responses. T-cells help the body attack cancer cells.
At current levels, EVAX stock is up more than 41% this week, putting it on track for its biggest weekly gain in more than 21 months.
What The Phase 2 Trial Showed
The company said its Phase 2 trial for the drug enrolled 16 patients with advanced melanoma. During the first two years, patients received EVX-01 along with Merck’s (MRK) blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda. Initial results showed that 75% of patients saw their tumors shrink or disappear.
Six patients continued into a one-year extension of the trial, receiving EVX-01 alone. All six maintained their earlier responses to treatment, with no signs of cancer progression during the third year.
“What makes these three-year findings particularly compelling is not only the durability of clinical responses, but also the sustained strength and breadth of vaccine-induced T-cell immunity,” said trial investigator Muhammad Adnan Khattak.
The data will be presented in a poster presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress on October 24.
Evaxion’s Pipeline In Focus
Evaxion is also developing EVX-04, an experimental vaccine for acute myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer, and EVX-05, a vaccine candidate targeting glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Beyond cancer, Evaxion’s pipeline includes vaccines targeting gonorrhea and cytomegalovirus.
Evaxion had $14 million in cash as of June 30, down from $18.4 million at the end of March. The company expects its cash reserves to fund operations well into the second half of 2027.
Retail Says EVAX Will Disrupt The Oncology Space
Retail sentiment surrounding EVAX on Stocktwits remained ‘extremely bullish’ over the past 24 hours, amid ‘extremely high’ message volumes.
One user said Evaxion needs a partnership to take the drug into phase 3 trials.
View this Stocktwits post
Another user said the company “is about to disrupt the entire oncology space.”
View this Stocktwits post
The stock is down more than 21% so far in 2026.
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