Targovax Scandinavian base launched last clinical trial of immunotherapy for pleural mesothelioma, hoping it provides a better way to treat patients suffering from diseases related to asbestos.The randomized Ib / II phase evaluates the performance of oncos-102, a human adenovirus designed designed to induce systemic responses, anti-tumor.
Researchers administering the immunotherapy drug as first-line treatment in combination with chemotherapy with pemetrexed and cisplatin.
"Based on what we saw in our first study of patients with various types of solid tumors, which is a good tolerance and response to a couple of patients with mesothelioma, we are quite hopeful for something positive from this trial, "Dr. Magnus Jaderberg, chief medical officer at Targovax, Asbestos.com said." There's a lot of excitement. "
Physicians inject oncos-102 directly into the tumor lesions of the pleura, the thin membrane around the lungs.
Each patient in the multicenter trial will receive six treatments in a five-month period. The trial involves 30 patients with mesothelioma.
How oncos-102 work?The virus is designed to replicate only in tumor cells while leaving the normal cells unharmed.
This process breaks down the cancer cells, which release specific signals picked up by tumor immune cells.
These immune cells then find and attack the tumor.
Because oncos-102 is derived from an adenovirus, it produces minor flu symptoms, such as chills and fever, which may last a few days.
Impressive reduction of the tumor in early stagefirst clinical trial patient in Barcelona, Spain, received his initial dose immunotherapy in June. France, Italy and U.K. also serve as host sites for the clinical trial.
Optimism about the drug is partly a former test phase I in Finland involving various solid tumors and progressive disease that no longer responded to chemotherapy.
Oncos-102 provoked a stabilization rate of 40 percent disease in all types of tumors in this trial.
The study group consisted of two mesothelioma patients who responded well. One of these patients showed a reduction of 47 percent of the size of the tumor.
Finland, a compassionate use program oncos-102 which allowed access to drugs not approved but also included 115 patients with various solid tumors such as mesothelioma.
Because it was not a controlled study, there was no definitive conclusions, but Jaderberg reported patients had good tolerance and clinical response to the drug.
Last summer, a preclinical animal study involving mesothelioma tumor cells also demonstrated synergy between oncos-102 and the same combination chemotherapy.
"Mesothelioma is known as a highly malignant disease that is usually diagnosed too late for surgery, and as a result, there are only very few patients can be treated," says Jaderberg.
"New treatments are needed. We hope our immunotherapy may offer additional benefits to the standard of chemotherapy care. "
Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration has not approved second-line treatments for mesothelioma patients with inoperable disease.
Immunotherapy critical for the future of cancer treatmentThe phase I study specific immune activation of the tumor-induced systemic levels and lesional related to a clinical benefit.
Most health professionals believe that the future of cancer treatment lies in immunotherapy drugs that use the immune system of a patient to fight the disease.
There are dozens of immunotherapy drugs now in the development pipeline.
Patients generally tolerate immunotherapy drugs well and without the severe side effects of traditional chemotherapy.
These drugs initially complement the traditional multidisciplinary treatment may include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
Targovax also plans to launch trials oncos-102 later this year for melanoma, prostate cancer and ovarian cancer.
Melanoma and ovarian cancer trials include sites in the United States.
"Based on the data we have generated so far, I'd say there's a good chance that we will find solid tumors where we show the increased efficiency," he said.
"I hope that one of these will be mesothelioma."
