Pharmexa's Norwegian subsidiary GemVax collaborates with Ullevål University Hospital on translational research of immunotherapy in combination with different treatment regimens
Hørsholm, DK | Jan 23, 2006 | It is part of GemVax' strategy to participate in translational research in collaboration with leading cancer centers in Norway and Sweden. Ullevål University Hospital (Norway), with Professor Trond Buanes as principal investigator, has tested GemVax' GV1001 telomerase vaccine together with the adjuvant imiquimod in a phase I/II pilot trial in 24 patients suffering from inoperable pancreatic cancer. The pilot trial tests the various combinations of imiquimod, GM-CSF and radiation therapy, together with GV1001. The trial is intended to demonstrate the safety and immunogenicity of this treatment regimen.
Ullevål University Hospital has now, in collaboration with GemVax, received regulatory approval to add a new treatment arm to the phase I/II pilot trial protocol. The intention is to investigate if initial treatment with cyclophosphamide affects the patients' immune response. Cyclophophamide is believed to down regulate so-called regulatory T cells, which contributes to controlling the immune response. The new treatment arm includes 10 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Treatments in the new trial arm have just started and the whole trial is expected to be completed in 2007.
Mona Møller, CEO in GemVax AS says: "Small pilot trials like this generate important knowledge of the regulation of the immune system in connection with immunotherapy, knowledge that could be used in future clinical trials of GV1001, GV1002 and our other peptide vaccines. At the same time, the trial at Ullevål University Hospital shows the continued interest from the medical community in participating in the further research and development around GV1001."
Hørsholm, January 23, 2006
Jakob Schmidt
Chief Executive Officer
Additional information: Jakob Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer, telephone +45 4516 2525
Note to editors: Pharmexa A/S is a leading company in the field of active immunotherapy and vaccines for the treatment of serious chronic and infectious diseases. Pharmexa's proprietary technology platforms are broadly applicable, allowing the company to address critical targets in cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, bone degeneration and Alzheimer's disease, as well as serious infectious diseases such as HIV, influenza, hepatitis and malaria. Its leading programs are GV1001, a peptide vaccine about to enter phase III trials in pancreatic cancer, HER-2 AutoVac(TM) Protein, a recombinant protein vaccine in phase II against breast cancer, and HIV and hepatitis vaccines in phase I/II. Collaborative agreements include H. Lundbeck, Innogenetics, IDM Pharma and Bavarian Nordic. With operations in Denmark, Norway and USA, Pharmexa employs approximately 100 people and is listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange under the trading symbol PHARMX.
Source: Pharmexa |
