Our Mission

Unsere Mission

Science + Application = Therapeutic Innovation

We develop innovative approaches for the treatment and prevention of tumors – particularly those caused by human papillomaviruses (HPV).

To further this goal, we focus on the development of targeted, easy-to-use medications, which are both effective and at the same time well tolerated by affected patients.

ViMREX was founded by physician-scientists who strive to bring scientific knowledge into application to provide real benefits to affected patients.

Illustration of a cancer cell

Innovative treatment approaches through comprehensive understanding of tumor development

The growing understanding of the complex mechanisms that drive tumor development has enabled groundbreaking progress in the treatment and prevention of tumorous diseases in the last years.

The development of a malignant tumor (cancer) is a multi-stage process. Several years, often even decades, go by before a healthy cell has completed the transformation into a cancerous cell. Understanding the changes that are essential for the long-term growth and survival of a cancerous cell is essential to develop measures that prevent a pre-cancerous stage from developing into cancer over time. At the same time, this knowledge can be used to treat already existing cancer as targeted and effectively as possible.

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The founders of ViMREX have decades of experience in the field of applied tumor biology research. This kind of research aims to identify the molecular changes that drive healthy cells in the body to becoming cancerous – and to understand how these changes can be used as targets for new treatments and prophylactic approaches. The core focus of our research and development activities is diseases caused by human papillomaviruses (HPV).

Our goal is to translate our knowledge into practical applications serving affected patients by effectively treating their disease or, ideally, preventing its formation.

In our development, we prioritize products that will be well tolerated and are easy to use. Through this, we want to foster the integration of our treatment into the patients’ daily routine to strengthen their quality of life.

We are convinced that the consistent application of knowledge brings true progress.

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) – common human companions and tumor triggers

Most people (about 80%) acquire an infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV) at some point throughout their lives.¹ These viruses enter the skin and mucous membranes via small injuries and infect cells in those tissues. Most HPV infections remain unnoticed and have no clinical consequences for the infected people. However, some infections cause various diseases – from benign tumors, such as warts, to pre-cancerous diseases and also cancer.

More than 200 types of HPV have been identified to date.² Human papillomaviruses that usually do not produce pre-cancerous diseases or cancer are known as low-risk HPV types. These HPV types typically cause cutaneous or genital warts. In contrast, HPV types with the potential to cause pre-cancerous diseases or cancer are called high-risk (oncogenic) types. Still, most people who are infected with high-risk HPV types will not develop a pre-cancerous disease or cancer since the immune system can usually successfully fight the infection.

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However, in a small fraction of people infected with high-risk HPV types the infection will persist for years or even decades and form the basis for the development of pre-cancerous disease and cancer.

Pre-cancerous or cancerous conditions caused by HPV primarily develop in the anogenital area, i.e. cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, or anal canal. However, high-risk HPV types may also induce cancer in the head and neck, mainly on the palatine tonsils.³ In total, about 4.5% of all cancers worldwide are caused by infection with high-risk HPV types.⁴ Every year, about 690,000 new HPV-caused cancer cases arise globally.⁵ It is estimated that HPV-induced pre-cancerous conditions are even 10 times more frequent.

A prophylactic (preventive) HPV vaccine was introduced about 20 years ago, and has proven to be very effective in preventing infection with certain HPV types and the subsequent development of pre-cancerous lesions or cancer.⁶ However, not all high-risk types of the virus are covered by the currently available vaccines, and the vaccination rates worldwide remain relatively low. In 2019, only approximately 15% of all girls and 4% of all boys in the target age range were fully vaccinated.⁷ Additionally, the prophylactic vaccine has no therapeutic effect. That means an already existing pre-cancerous disease or cancer induced by HPV cannot be cured by the vaccine. To treat these widespread diseases the development of new therapies targeting their cause are urgently needed.

Illustration of human papillomaviruses (HPV)

Literature

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Chesson HW, Dunne EF, Hariri S, Markowitz LE. The estimated lifetime probability of acquiring human papillomavirus in the United States. Sex Transm Dis. 2014 Nov;41(11):660-4. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000193. PMID: 25299412; PMCID: PMC6745688.
Mühr LSA, Eklund C, Dillner J. Towards quality and order in human papillomavirus research. Virology. 2018 Jun;519:74-76. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2018.04.003. Epub 2018 Apr 18. PMID: 29679790.
Überblick über klinische Relevanz und Konsequenzen von HPV-verursachten Tumoren in Prigge ES, von Knebel Doeberitz M, Reuschenbach M. Clinical relevance and implications of HPV-induced neoplasia in different anatomical locations. Mutat Res Rev Mutat Res. 2017 Apr-Jun;772:51-66. doi: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2016.06.005. Epub 2016 Jun 22. PMID: 28528690.
de Martel C, Plummer M, Vignat J, Franceschi S. Worldwide burden of cancer attributable to HPV by site, country and HPV type. Int J Cancer. 2017 Aug 15;141(4):664-670. doi: 10.1002/ijc.30716. Epub 2017 Jun 8. PMID: 28369882; PMCID: PMC5520228.
de Martel C, Georges D, Bray F, Ferlay J, Clifford GM. Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2018: a worldwide incidence analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2020 Feb;8(2):e180-e190. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(19)30488-7. Epub 2019 Dec 17. PMID: 31862245.
Arbyn M, Xu L, Simoens C, Martin-Hirsch PP. Prophylactic vaccination against human papillomaviruses to prevent cervical cancer and its precursors. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 May 9;5(5):CD009069. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009069.pub3. PMID: 29740819; PMCID: PMC6494566.
Bruni L, Saura-Lázaro A, Montoliu A, Brotons M, Alemany L, Diallo MS, Afsar OZ, LaMontagne DS, Mosina L, Contreras M, Velandia-González M, Pastore R, Gacic-Dobo M, Bloem P. HPV vaccination introduction worldwide and WHO and UNICEF estimates of national HPV immunization coverage 2010-2019. Prev Med. 2021 Mar;144:106399. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106399. Epub 2020 Dec 31.

Illustration of the enzyme DNMT1

New treatment approach against HPV-induced tumors: epigenetic therapy

Comprehensive studies on the development of HPV-induced cancers in the “Applied Tumor Biology” research group – a department of the University Hospital Heidelberg and Clinical Cooperation Unit of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ from its name in German) – have identified a mechanism that can lead to the malignant transformation of HPV-infected cells.¹

This mechanism consists of specific modifications (methylation events) in the genetic material of cells hosting the virus and of the virus itself. These changes in the methylation pattern facilitate the increased production of the viral proteins E6 and E7. These viral proteins play a decisive role in both the development of HPV-induced pre-cancerous diseases and cancer and the long-term growth and survival of these tumor cells. Further work in the “Applied Tumor Biology” group has shown that the treatment of HPV-infected cancer cells with demethylating drugs can reverse these abnormal methylation patterns.

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The demethylating agents block an enzyme responsible for the transfer of methyl groups to the genetic material – DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT 1). It was shown that the removal of these abnormal methylation patterns from both the viral and the host cells’ genomes can lead to a downregulation of the viral proteins E6 and E7, an upregulation of tumor suppressive proteins, as well as to the suppression of tumor growth.²

This knowledge opens the door for novel treatment approaches against the root of HPV-induced tumors.³ We founded ViMREX GmbH to make these research results available and beneficial for all affected patients. In the ongoing development of our technology, we are focused on pre-cancerous diseases induced by HPV, but our therapeutic approach also holds potential for other diseases.

Literature

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Vinokurova S, von Knebel Doeberitz M. Differential methylation of the HPV 16 upstream regulatory region during epithelial differentiation and neoplastic transformation. PLoS One. 2011;6(9):e24451. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024451. Epub 2011 Sep 7. PMID: 21915330; PMCID: PMC3168499.
Stich M, Ganss L, Puschhof J, Prigge ES, Reuschenbach M, Guiterrez A, Vinokurova S, von Knebel Doeberitz M. 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (DAC) treatment downregulates the HPV E6 and E7 oncogene expression and blocks neoplastic growth of HPV-associated cancer cells. Oncotarget. 2016 Jul 16;8(32):52104-52117. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.10631. PMID: 28881717; PMCID: PMC5581016.
von Knebel Doeberitz M, Prigge ES. Role of DNA methylation in HPV associated lesions. Papillomavirus Res. 2019 Jun;7:180-183. doi: 10.1016/j.pvr.2019.03.005. Epub 2019 Apr 10. PMID: 30978415; PMCID: PMC6504999.

Our Mission

Unsere Mission

Innovative treatment approaches through comprehensive understanding of tumor development

Find out more

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) – common human companions and tumor triggers

find out more

Literature

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New treatment approach against HPV-induced tumors: epigenetic therapy

find out more

Literature

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