- Imugene has presented results regarding its anti-cancer vaccine at the European Society of Medical Oncology in Spain
- Imugene’s HER-Vaxx is designed to treat tumours with significant amounts of HER2 receptors
- The study was presented by Dr Ursula Wiedermann from the Medical University Vienna, Austria
Imugene has announced that results from its anti-cancer vaccine were presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology in Barcelona, Spain.
The clinical stage immune-oncology company presented clinical data results from the Phase Ib clinical study of its HER-Vaxx anti-cancer vaccine from 27 September to 1 October 2019.
HER-Vaxx is a B-cell peptide cancer vaccine that is designed to treat tumours that over-express the HER2 receptor such as those in breast, lung, ovarian and pancreatic cancers.
The immunotherapy is constructed from several B-cell epitopes that are derived from the domain of HER2.
Pre-clinical and Phase I studies has shown that the vaccine stimulates a potent antibody response for HER2.
The study was presented by Dr Ursula Wiedermann from the Medical University Vienna, Austria.
The data, which was presented in a poster format, described further comprehensive analysis of results from Imugene’s Phase Ib HER-Vaxx study in gastric cancer patients who over expressed the HER2 target protein.
“We are pleased to shares this promising new clinical data with the international medical community at ESMO,” Imugene CEO Leslie Chong said.
“Together with our dedicated investigators and research teams we are building an impressive library of evidence to support the clinical potential our unique B-cell cancer vaccine pipeline and clinical development strategy,” she said.
HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, is a gene that can play a role in the development of breast cancer.
In roughly 1 out of every 5 breast cancers, HER2 is in excess. These types of cancers tend to be more aggressive than other types of breast cancers and they are less likely to react to hormone therapy.
However, people with HER2 positive breast cancer can still benefit from hormone therapy.
The data presented by Dr Ursula showed a 100 per cent objective response rate in three patients who received the optimal dose of 50 micrograms.
In five of the 11 patients who were evaluated for tumour responses, tumour reduction was associated with high HER2-specific antibody levels.
Additionally, an open label Phase II study of HER-Vaxx in 68 patients with metastatic gastric cancer over-expressing the HER2 protein was initiated in March and Imugene hopes to complete it in 2020.