Date: 2012-07-29
Type of information: Publication of results in a medical journal
phase:
Announcement: publication of the results of two clinical studies using the kidney-cancer vaccine IMA901 in Nature Medicine.
“Multipeptide immune response to cancer vaccine IMA901 after single-dose cyclophosphamide associates with longer survival times,” Walter S., Weinschenk T. et al. (2012) Nature Medicine. Published online: 29 July 2012
Company: immatics biotechnologies (Germany) the University of Tübingen (Germany)
Product: IMA901
Action
mechanism: IMA901 is composed of ten synthetic tumor-associated peptides (TUMAPs), which activate the body’s own killer T-cells against the tumor. Unlike chemotherapy, this process targets the body’s immune responses and mobilizes them to attack the cancer.
Disease: renal cell carcinoma
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Country:
Trial
details:
Latest
news: Researchers at the University of Tübingen and immatics biotechnologies have published the results of two clinical studies using the kidney-cancer vaccine IMA901 in the latest edition of Nature Medicine.
IMA901 is composed of ten synthetic tumor-associated peptides (TUMAPs), which activate the body’s own killer T-cells against the tumor. Unlike chemotherapy, this process targets the body’s immune responses and mobilizes them to attack the cancer. The studies show that this active immunization against cancer can be successful and extend the life of a patient for longer than even the latest chemotherapy techniques – with far fewer side-effects.
One particular aspect of this kidney cancer study is its uniquely exhaustive analysis of the immune response against the cancer antigens – done with the help of biomarkers. In particular, the characteristics of the white blood cells involved were precisely detailed during the course of the immunization. Complex logistics were required to get these cells frozen and transported to Tübingen from study centers all over Europe, while ensuring they were in a fit state to be analyzed.
The study shows that in kidney-cancer patients with documented T-cell reactions against two or more tumor-associated peptides, the immune reaction and clinical progress were clearly linked. That confirms the hypothesis that cancer treatments can be further developed by broadly activating the immune system against various target structures on the surface of the tumor.
The article also describes the researchers’ aims of identifying biomarkers which could help give a more accurate prediction of how long certain groups of patients may live after being treated with IMA901. An analysis of more than 300 potential biomarkers turned up a number of them which are currently being tested in a new phase-3 study by immatics for their ability to show an immune response and the extension of patient life after treatment with IMA901.
