The grant, awarded by the National Institute of health (NIH) will go towards the development and manufacturer of KLH, a highly immunogenic, T cell-dependent protein used as a vaccine platform or 'carrier' molecule for vaccine antigens.

By combining KLH with tumour-associated antigens, anti-cancer vaccines are formulated to overcome the immune system's tolerance of 'self' antigens, resulting in robust immunological anti-tumour responses.

The award is Stellar's second grant, having previously been awarded a Small Business Innovative Research (SIBR) grant for the development of aquaculture technology for the source animal for KLH, Megathura Crenulata.

David Spaulding, chief scientific officer of Stellar said: "This competitive award addresses the need for a dependable commercial source of medical-grade KLH for the developing field of cancer vaccines."

Spaulding commented: "It confers potent immunogenicity to carbohydrates, peptides, and many other types of small molecules, and holds potential for a range of therapeutic and preventative vaccine applications in addition to cancer."

KLH has been in demand as critical components of several commercial experimental cancer vaccines that are undergoing late-stage clinical trial evaluations. Cancer vaccines are a relatively new concept for immunological cancer therapies and KLH-based vaccines are now approaching advanced clinical trials, targeting lymphoma, breast, and colon amongst other cancers.

Progenics Pharmaceuticals was developing a GMK vaccine (a ganglioside conjugate vaccine coupled to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and formulated with the adjuvant QS-21), for the treatment of melanoma and other cancers.

It was previously under co-development with Bristol-Myers Squibb, but all rights to the GMK vaccine were returned to Progenics

BioVest International, a US-based company, are currently in advanced trials of a vaccine which is a conjugate of the malignant B lymphocyte's tumour antigen, its idiotype, and KLH.