Phase II FANG™ in Advanced Melanoma

Summary

Preliminary studies with a variety of vaccines suggest target accessibility (potential immunogenicity) in a variety of solid tumors to immune directed approaches. In an effort to overcome limitations of immunostimulatory cancer vaccines, the investigators have designed a novel autologous vaccine to address inability to fully identify cancer associated antigens, antigen recognition by the immune system (i.e. antigen to immunogen), effector potency, and cancer-induced resistance. In an effort to overcome limitations of immunostimulatory cancer vaccines, the investigators designed a novel dual-modulatory autologous whole cell vaccine, Vigil™ (bi-shRNA furin and GMCSF Autologous Tumor Cell Vaccine), incorporating the rhGMCSF (recombinant human GMCSF) transgene and the bifunctional shRNAfurin (to block proprotein conversion to active TGFb1 and b2) to 1) address the inability to fully identify cancer associated antigens, 2) effect antigen recognition by the immune system (i.e. antigen to immunogen), 3) enhance effector potency, and 4) subvert endogenous cancer-induced immune resistance. The investigators have also completed the Phase I assessment of Vigil™ vaccine in 27 advanced solid tumor patients (1.0 x 10e7 or 2.5 x 10e7 cells/injection/month for a maximum of 12 vaccinations) who have not experienced any significant adverse effects following 131 vaccinations, including 4 patients with melanoma. Plasmid functionality, immune biomarker response, and preliminary evidence of anticancer activity have been observed. This is a Phase II study of intradermal autologous Vigil™ cancer vaccine (1.0 x 10e7 cells/injection; maximum of 12 vaccinations) in patients with stages IIIc and IV melanoma with biopsy accessible lesions to document blood and intratumoral immune responses and assess correlation with survival.

Timeline

Start

2011-10

Primary completion

2016-03-22

Completion

2016-03-22

Publications

• Background Olivares J, Kumar P, Yu Y, Maples PB, Senzer N, Bedell C, Barve M, Tong A, Pappen BO, Kuhn J, Magee M, Wallraven G, Nemunaitis J. Phase I trial of TGF-beta 2 antisense GM-CSF gene-modified autologous tumor cell (TAG) vaccine. Clin Cancer Res. 2011 Jan 1;17(1):183-92. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-10-2195.
• Background Maples PB, Kumar P, Yu Y, Wang Z, Jay CM, Pappen BO, Rao DD, Kuhn J, Nemunaitis J, Senzer N: FANG Vaccine: Autologous Tumor Cell Vaccine Genetically Modified to Express GM-CSF and Block Production of Furin. BioProcessing Journal 2010; 8(4):4-14.
• Background Senzer N, Barve M, Kuhn J, Melnyk A, Beitsch P, Lazar M, Lifshitz S, Magee M, Oh J, Mill SW, Bedell C, Higgs C, Kumar P, Yu Y, Norvell F, Phalon C, Taquet N, Rao DD, Wang Z, Jay CM, Pappen BO, Wallraven G, Brunicardi FC, Shanahan DM, Maples PB, Nemunaitis J. Phase I trial of "bi-shRNAi(furin)/GMCSF DNA/autologous tumor cell" vaccine (FANG) in advanced cancer. Mol Ther. 2012 Mar;20(3):679-86. doi: 10.1038/mt.2011.269. Epub 2011 Dec 20.

Drugs

Indications