Vaccine Application Extends Life of Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 24 Feb 2010 |
|
In a newly published clinical trial, patients with metastatic prostate cancer who received a vaccine of harmless poxviruses engineered to trigger an immune system attack on prostate tumor cells lived considerably longer than patients who received a placebo vaccine.
The study's findings were published by the Journal of Clinical Oncology on its website in January 2010, and scheduled for later print publication. The randomized phase II study was performed by researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA, USA) and affiliated organizations. The study involved the PROSTVAC-VF vaccine, a combination of two weakened poxviruses that have been genetically programmed to produce slightly irregular versions of prostate specific antigen (PSA)--a protein on the surface of prostate cells that is abnormal in many prostate cancers--and three costimulatory molecules that spur the immune system to a more vigorous attack on tumor cells.
The double-blinded trial included 125 patients with metastatic prostate cancer who did not respond to standard, hormone-lowering therapy. Eighty-two of the participants received the vaccine, produced by BN ImmunoTherapeutics, Inc. (Mountain View, CA, USA), and 40 received a placebo.
At the three-year point after the study, 30% of the PROSTVAC-VF patients were alive, versus 17% of the control group. The median survival of the vaccine group was 24.5 months, compared to 16 months for the control group, an 8.5-month increase.
Patients tolerated the vaccine well; only a small number experienced side effects such as fatigue, fevers, and nausea. "Although this study is relatively small, it offers encouraging evidence of a clinically meaningful benefit from this vaccine approach,” said lead investigator and lead author Philip Kantoff, M.D., of Dana-Farber, who helped design the trial.
Investigators are now planning a phase III trial that will enroll about 600 patients to evaluate further the vaccine's effectiveness.
Related Links:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
BN ImmunoTherapeutics
The study's findings were published by the Journal of Clinical Oncology on its website in January 2010, and scheduled for later print publication. The randomized phase II study was performed by researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA, USA) and affiliated organizations. The study involved the PROSTVAC-VF vaccine, a combination of two weakened poxviruses that have been genetically programmed to produce slightly irregular versions of prostate specific antigen (PSA)--a protein on the surface of prostate cells that is abnormal in many prostate cancers--and three costimulatory molecules that spur the immune system to a more vigorous attack on tumor cells.
The double-blinded trial included 125 patients with metastatic prostate cancer who did not respond to standard, hormone-lowering therapy. Eighty-two of the participants received the vaccine, produced by BN ImmunoTherapeutics, Inc. (Mountain View, CA, USA), and 40 received a placebo.
At the three-year point after the study, 30% of the PROSTVAC-VF patients were alive, versus 17% of the control group. The median survival of the vaccine group was 24.5 months, compared to 16 months for the control group, an 8.5-month increase.
Patients tolerated the vaccine well; only a small number experienced side effects such as fatigue, fevers, and nausea. "Although this study is relatively small, it offers encouraging evidence of a clinically meaningful benefit from this vaccine approach,” said lead investigator and lead author Philip Kantoff, M.D., of Dana-Farber, who helped design the trial.
Investigators are now planning a phase III trial that will enroll about 600 patients to evaluate further the vaccine's effectiveness.
Related Links:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
BN ImmunoTherapeutics
Gold Member
Quantitative POC Immunoassay Analyzer
EASY READER+
POC Immunoassay Analyzer
Procise DX
New
Automated Coagulation Analyzer
Hemolumi H6
Latest BioResearch News
- Gene Variants Linked to Pollution-Exacerbated Asthma
- Single-Cell Analysis Mapping Links Inflammation Response to Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- Study Reveals New Insights into Rare Blood Cancer Development
- New Findings Clarify Molecular Drivers of Rare Small Intestinal Cancer
- Lung Cancer Study Reveals Cellular Program Behind Therapy Resistance
- Tumor Genome Marker May Predict Treatment Benefit in Pediatric Cancers
- Lysosomal Gene Defect Linked to Severe Childhood Brain Disorders
- Genetic Testing Identifies Greater Inherited Sudden Cardiac Arrest Risk in Younger Individuals
- Hidden 'Jumping Gene' Variant Linked to Higher Pancreatic Cancer Risk
- Common White Blood Cells Produce Schizophrenia-Linked Protein
- Nanopore Method Captures RNA Folding at Single-Molecule Resolution
- Tumor Microenvironment Marker Linked to Worse Survival in Solid Tumors
- Hidden Immune Gene Defect May Explain Kaposi Sarcoma Susceptibility
- Genetic Markers May Help Predict Amputation Risk in Peripheral Artery Disease
- Gene Signature Shows Promise for Depression Biomarker Testing
- AI-Driven Tumor Profiling Initiative Targets Precision Therapy Development
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Alzheimer’s Biomarkers Identify Faster Cognitive Decline in Adults Over 80
Diagnosing the cause of cognitive decline in adults over 80 is challenging because multiple comorbidities can blur early clinical presentations. As a result, memory complaints are often attributed to normal... Read more
ADLM Issues Laboratory Guidance for Gender-Diverse Patient Care
Laboratory medicine increasingly intersects with gender-affirming care, where hormone therapy and rigid health record fields can complicate the interpretation of routine tests. Without appropriate clinical... Read more
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
Blood Test Helps Guide Post-Surgical Treatment in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy worldwide and the second-leading cause of cancer death. The liver is the most frequent site of spread, and although surgery offers the best chance... Read more
Blood Test Using Circular RNA Biomarkers Predicts Alzheimer’s Progression
Alzheimer’s disease evaluation commonly relies on plasma phosphorylated tau 217, along with invasive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing and expensive PET. Blood-based approaches that can stratify risk years... Read more
Hematology
view channel
Blood Test Helps Predict Short-Term Mortality After Severe Heart Attack
ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a severe heart attack caused by complete blockage of a coronary artery. Early risk stratification at hospital admission is challenging but essential for guiding... Read more
Next-Generation Hematology Platform Streamlines High-Complexity Lab Workflows
Sysmex America (Chicago, IL, USA) has introduced the next generation XR-Series, centered on the XR-10 Automated Hematology Module for high-complexity laboratories. The platform builds on the widely used... Read more
Immunology
view channel
Anti-Lipid Antibody Biomarkers May Identify Early Lyme Disease and Persistent Symptoms
Lyme disease is often missed during its earliest and most treatable stage, while current serologic assays cannot distinguish active infection from prior exposure. Nearly half a million Americans are diagnosed... Read more
Emergency Department Opt-Out Testing Program Identifies Undiagnosed HIV
Undiagnosed HIV continues to drive avoidable morbidity and transmission, with many people identified only after substantial immune damage has occurred. In England, about one in 20 people living with HIV... Read more
Immune Biomarkers Could Identify Risk of Chronic Critical Illness on ICU Admission
Severe traumatic injury can trigger immune and organ dysfunction that complicates recovery in the intensive care unit. A subset of patients develop chronic critical illness, defined as dependence on intensive... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
Rapid Gastrointestinal PCR Panels Deliver One-Hour Results
Acute infectious gastroenteritis remains a major cause of illness worldwide, especially in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised patients. Nonspecific symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting,... Read more
H. pylori Screening Within Colorectal Program Aids Gastric Cancer Prevention
Health systems increasingly rely on economic evidence to guide cancer prevention strategies. For gastric cancer, selecting screening approaches that can integrate with existing programs is a key policy question.... Read more
Machine Learning Reveals Consistent Gut Microbiome Patterns in Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer has been repeatedly linked to alterations in the gut microbiome, yet findings have often varied across small, heterogeneous studies. Reproducibility has been limited by differing sequencing... Read more
Pathology
view channel
EBV Status Helps Predict Survival in Primary CNS Lymphoma
Primary central nervous system lymphoma is a rare malignancy in which tumors arise in the brain and, less often, the spinal cord, eyes, or cerebrospinal fluid. Outcomes are especially variable when the... Read more
AI Pathology Tool Predicts Immunotherapy Response in Rare Cancers
Immunotherapy has transformed care for select malignancies, yet predicting which patients with rare cancers are most likely to benefit remains challenging. Clinicians often have only limited biomarkers... Read more
Technology
view channel
New CE-Certified Software Advances Whole-Genome Cancer Testing
European hospitals are increasingly using comprehensive tumor genomics to guide therapy, but routine whole genome sequencing (WGS) requires validated, regulation-compliant workflows. A newly CE-certified... Read more
National Rare Disease Registry Standardizes Genetic and Clinical Data for Coordinated Care
Rare diseases collectively impose a significant clinical burden despite their individual rarity, often involving multisystem presentations and prolonged diagnostic journeys. Limited specialist expertise... Read more
Industry
view channel
Eurobio Scientific Completes Acquisition of CareDx Lab Products Division
Eurobio Scientific has closed the acquisition of CareDx AB in Sweden and its fully owned subsidiaries in the United States and Australia that constitute CareDx’s Lab Products division. The business will... Read more
Blood-Based CRISPR Test for Tuberculosis Gains Regulatory Approval in Colombia
Colombia remains a high-priority setting for tuberculosis, with a growing need for diagnostics that complement existing testing strategies and improve access to earlier diagnosis. Solutions that function... Read more
