A Study to Test the Effectiveness of Virulizin® Given in Combination With Standard Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer

Summary

Virulizin is an immunotherapy drug preparation that is thought to stimulate the patient's immune system, which in turn may slow the growth of tumors. It is presented in vials as a sterile preparation for IM injection. The purpose of the trial is to investigate if Virulizin in combination with gemcitabine provides better efficacy than gemcitabine alone (with placebo) against pancreatic cancer.Virulizin® efficacy will continue to be assessed if chemotherapy is changed to 5-Fluorouracil.

Timeline

Start

2002-07

Primary completion

2005-07

Completion

—

Publications

• Background Ferdinandi ES, Braun DP, Liu C, Zee BC, Ely G. Virulizin(R) - A review of its antineoplastic activity. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 1999 Oct;8(10):1721-1735. doi: 10.1517/13543784.8.10.1721.
• Background Liu C, Ferdinandi ES, Ely G, Joshi SS. Virulizin-2gamma, a novel immunotherapeutic agent, in treatment of human pancreatic cancer xenografts. Int J Oncol. 2000 May;16(5):1015-20. doi: 10.3892/ijo.16.5.1015.
• Background Warner E, Weinroth J, Chang S, MacDonald M, Strauss B. Phase II trial of Virulizin in patients with pancreatic cancer. Clin Invest Med. 1994 Feb;17(1):37-41.

Drugs

Indications