PEABODY, Mass., Sept. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Privo Technologies, Inc. (“Privo”, “the Company”) announced today that it has been awarded a $2M Direct-to-Phase II SBIR Contract from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. The contract will be used to further the development of PRV311, Privo’s third lead asset, for the treatment of cervical cancer in low resource settings.

Cervical cancer has high prevalence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and remains the leading cause of cancer death among women despite the remarkable improvements in prevention seen in wealthier countries. Privo intends to bridge this healthcare gap with PRV311, a nanoengineered localized treatment applied directly to cervical tumors. Utilizing the funds from the contract, Privo aims to complete clinical trial preparation activities to validate the PRV311 cancer treatment. This treatment has the potential to minimize surgery, reduce the risk of preterm birth, and reduce the extent of disfigurement.

“Privo is committed to changing the paradigm of cancer treatment, with a special focus on mucosal solid tumors. We are grateful to the NCI for their support in expanding the PRV platform into further indications,” said Dr. Manijeh Goldberg, Ph.D., CEO and Founder. “Privo has focused on epithelial cancers and as a result has successfully pushed its PRV111 treatment to the pivotal trial stage for head and neck cancers.”

PRV311 is a derivative of the PRV platform designed for the treatment of cervical and other cancers that require controlled and sustained release of chemotherapeutics ideal for use in low-resource settings. This will enable fewer treatment visits and applications required to reach a therapeutic dose. “Loss of patients to follow-up in low-resource settings is one of the greatest obstacles to effective cancer treatment. By providing a long-lasting treatment alternative for patients with cervical cancer, PRV311 can address this disparity and potentially change the treatment of cervical cancer globally,” said Dr. Goldberg.

This project is funded in part with Federal funds from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. 75N91022C00020.

Privo Technologies, Inc. (Privo) is a phase 3 clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative therapeutics designed to eliminate cancers and prevent recurrence. Privo aims to provide better and more accessible treatment options to diverse patient populations around the world with the potential to transform standard of care for treating solid tumors. Privo is headquartered in Peabody, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. For more information on the technology see Privo’s most recent publication (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31859-3), described in detail in Forbes: Disruptive Innovation In Drug Delivery Systems.

Privo’s lead asset, PRV111 has been shown to be effective in patients with head and neck cancer in several hospitals across the US during a safety and efficacy Phase I/II clinical study, dramatically reducing tumor volume without any systemic toxicity. For additional information on Privo Technologies, Inc. please visit www.privotechnologies.com.

Media Contact: communicationteam@privotechnologies.com