UI Pharmaceuticals (UIP), a division of the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, has partnered with New York-based MimiVax to support the manufacturing of SurVaxM — a novel immunotherapeutic vaccine designed to treat glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer — for use in clinical trials.
The partnership comes amid rising cancer rates in Iowa. According to the Iowa Cancer Registry, the state had the fastest-growing cancer rates in the country in 2024 and now ranks second nationwide in overall cancer incidence, behind Kentucky. Among the most concerning trends are brain and central nervous system cancers, with about 900 new cases diagnosed annually in Iowa.
The collaboration “combines MimiVax’s innovative research with UIP’s expertise in formulation development and sterile production, accelerating the path to potentially transformative therapies for patients,” said Ryan Moreno, director of manufacturing operations at UIP, in a post on the university’s website.
According to MimiVax’s website, the company “has an exclusive license to globally commercialize the vaccine and holds an international patent portfolio for SurVaxM and other products in development.”
The vaccine has completed Phase II testing at several U.S. cancer centers and previously showed safety and tolerability in early-stage trials, MimiVax reported.
SurVaxM is just one of many breakthrough therapies UIP has supported. The manufacturer supports more than a dozen innovative products each year, many aimed at conditions that lack effective treatments. Current projects include a cardiac emergency medication, a neurological drug-delivery system, treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and therapy for cerebral ischemia.
“Each project represents hope for patients facing difficult diagnoses,” said UIP director of pre-formulation and formulation development Bindu Gottam, who leads a team focused on making these innovations viable and scalable. “Over 95% of our work addresses unmet medical needs. While development is long and complex, hearing from clients about positive clinical outcomes reminds us why this work matters.”
With new, advanced manufacturing lines now online, UIP is positioned for expansion.
“We can now produce commercial-scale sterile batches as large as 200 liters,” said Marlow Hicks, managing director of UIP. “This expansion gives us capacity for over two million sterile filled vials and one million lyophilized vials annually.”
The new lines meet FDA and European regulatory standards, expanding clients’ ability to seek global market approvals.
UIP has more than 50 years of experience in contract pharmaceutical manufacturing and testing, supporting projects involving formulation development, sterile and non-sterile production, and analytical service.
