HONG KONG, Mar 7, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - Everest Medicines' stock (1952.HK) surged today, opening higher and maintaining strong momentum throughout the trading day. By market close, the stock had risen 20.12% to HK$60.6, bringing the company's total market capitalization to HK$19.791 billion. This marks its highest level in nearly three and a half years since September 28, 2021, while also successfully surpassing its 2020 IPO issue price of HK$55, reflecting strong investor confidence in its AI-based mRNA platform, dual-engine strategy, and future commercialization prospects.

According to the latest updates, Everest Medicines announced yesterday that the first patient has been dosed with the Company’s internally developed personalized mRNA cancer vaccine EVM16 at Peking University Cancer Hospital as part of an investigator-initiated clinical trial (IIT). Following this announcement, the company held an Investor Calls, where it provided detailed insights into its AI-based mRNA platform and pipeline advancements, highlighting progress in neoantigen prediction, vaccine development, and future commercialization strategies.

Governments worldwide continue to support mRNA-based oncology research, with leading biopharmaceutical companies such as BioNTech and Moderna achieving breakthroughs in personalized cancer vaccines. Over the next one to two years, several key milestones are expected, particularly in melanoma, pancreatic cancer, and other high-mortality cancers, further reinforcing the therapeutic potential of mRNA-driven oncology treatments.

Everest Medicines has established a fully integrated and clinically validated mRNA platform, encompassing antigen design, mRNA sequence optimization, LNP delivery system, and GMP production capabilities. The company holds global rights to its platform and pipeline, which is structured around four key areas: personalized cancer vaccines (PCV), tumor-associated antigen (TAA) vaccines, immune-modulatory cancer vaccines, and in vivo CAR-T therapies. With a comprehensive and differentiated portfolio, Everest Medicines is well-positioned in the rapidly evolving mRNA therapeutic landscape.

The success of personalized cancer vaccines depends on the ability to identify the most immunogenic tumor mutations among thousands of genetic alterations. Everest Medicine’s proprietary machine learning based neoantigen prediction algorithm (EVER-NEO-1), uses advanced deep learning technology to precisely select highly immunogenic peptide sequences, optimizing them for mRNA vaccine design.

Independent validation has shown that EVER-NEO-1’s neoantigen prediction capability meets or exceeds industry-leading standards. In head-to-head comparisons with MSKCC, a globally recognized neoantigen prediction algorithm, Everest’s model demonstrated superior performance in identifying a broader range of highly immunogenic tumor neoantigens.

In preclinical studies, EVM16 demonstrated significant tumor growth inhibition in syngeneic mouse model, with repeated dosing showing favorable safety and tolerability. Preclinical data also showed a synergistic anti-tumor effect when EVM16 was combined with a PD-1 antibody, supporting its potential use in combination therapies in clinical settings.

Additionally, Everest is advancing EVM14, its off-the-shelf TAA cancer vaccine, which has achieved key regulatory milestones. The company will submit an investigational new drug application for its TAA vaccines in China and the United States in 2025. One of EVM14’s key advantages is its ability to induce long-term immune memory and prevent tumor recurrence. In preclinical studies, 13 out of 15 mice treated with EVM14 experienced complete tumor regression, with no tumor regrowth even after re-exposure to tumor cells. Additionally, EVM14 has shown enhanced anti-tumor efficacy when combined with PD-1 inhibitors, further supporting its clinical potential.

Everest’s mRNA platform extends beyond oncology, with the company advancing immune-modulatory cancer vaccines and in vivo CAR-T therapies. The in vivo CAR-T program, leveraging mRNA/tLNP technology, has successfully achieved T cell transfection and CAR expression in non-human primate models. Compared to conventional CAR-T therapies, Everest’s in vivo CAR-T offers significant advantages, including lower production costs, enhanced safety, no need for lymphodepletion, and potential for outpatient treatment administration. Early data also suggests promising applications in refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), demonstrating its broader therapeutic potential.

Speaking at today’ s Investor Calls, Rogers Yongqing Luo, Chief Executive Officer of Everest Medicines, stated: "Everest Medicines has successfully transitioned from a license-in-driven model to a dual-engine strategy. The establishment of our proprietary mRNA platform marks a significant milestone, strengthening our in-house R&D capabilities and serving as a key driver of future growth. At the same time, we are accelerating the commercialization of our core products and remain committed to achieving our strategic goal of exceeding RMB 10 billion by 2030. Everest Medicines is poised to unlock even greater long-term value and advance toward the forefront of global biopharmaceutical innovation."

From a capital markets perspective, Everest Medicines’ AI-based mRNA platform integrates cutting-edge antigen selection, mRNA sequence optimization, and industrial-scale production capabilities, positioning it as a strong player in the global mRNA therapeutics space. Everest Medicines is the first biopharmaceutical company in China to advance an AI-based personalized mRNA cancer vaccine into the clinical stage. BOCOM International has recognized Everest Medicines as a key innovator in mRNA cancer therapeutics, highlighting its strong pipeline catalysts, significant revenue potential, and substantial valuation upside. Everest is well-positioned to strengthen its leadership in AI-enabled mRNA innovation and drive new global collaborations in the biopharmaceutical sector.

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