Candel Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the development of oncolytic viral immunotherapies designed to stimulate and amplify anti-tumor immune responses. The company’s proprietary platform leverages engineered viruses, including coxsackievirus A21 (CVA21) and adenoviral vectors, to selectively infect cancer cells and promote localized immune activation. Candel’s lead candidate, VAXINIA (CVA21), is being evaluated in multiple solid tumor indications, while additional programs such as CAN-2409 and CAN-3110 aim to broaden the company’s pipeline across prostate, brain and other hard-to-treat cancers. Through intratumoral administration and combination strategies with checkpoint inhibitors, Candel seeks to overcome immune resistance and achieve durable clinical benefit for patients with advanced malignancies.
Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Candel Therapeutics has grown through strategic collaborations and targeted acquisitions to enhance its viral engineering capabilities. The company maintains research laboratories in both the United States and Europe, enabling cross-continental clinical development and regulatory engagement. Over the years, Candel has partnered with leading academic centers and oncology consortia to conduct early- and mid-stage trials, generating proof-of-concept data that underscore the potential of oncolytic approaches. Candel’s research team continues to explore novel virus formulations, payloads and delivery techniques, aiming to optimize tumor targeting and maximize systemic immune activation.
Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Robert Johnson and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. David Rodeck, Candel has fostered a multidisciplinary environment that integrates virology, immunology and clinical oncology expertise. The management team is supported by a scientific advisory board composed of renowned cancer immunotherapy researchers and clinicians. Candel’s corporate strategy emphasizes rigorous translational research, nimble clinical trial design and collaboration with biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners to accelerate program advancement. By combining proprietary viral platforms with select immunomodulatory agents, Candel Therapeutics aspires to establish a new class of therapeutics that harness the body’s own defenses to fight cancer.
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