Trifunctional Antibody Catumaxomab Triggers Vaccination Effect Against Cancer
TRION Pharma GmbH announced that the results from two different studies demonstrate catumaxomab’s capacity to activate the immune system in a way that can otherwise only be achieved through vaccination. The data were obtained by two independent research teams using catumaxomab in malignant ascites and gastric cancer, respectively. The results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
In about half of the analyzed malignant ascites patients and the majority of gastric cancer patients, a significant increase of antibodies against tumor antigens was observed following the intraperitoneal administration of catumaxomab. In both studies, the antibody response was not restricted to catumaxomab’s target antigen EpCAM, but also included further cancer antigens suggesting the induction of a comprehensive humoral immune response against the individual tumor. Three of four patients who received a second treatment cycle showed an even stronger immune effect, comparable to the booster reaction known from repeated vaccination. In the gastric cancer study, cellular immune response was also analyzed and confirmed. The population of EpCAM-specific peripheral T cells was found to be substantially expanded, four weeks following the treatment.
These new results confirm the drug’s unique capacity to trigger several immune response mechanisms at the same time. Catumaxomab not only induces direct tumor cell destruction – as was presented during last year’s ASCO – but also a long-term vaccination effect against the individual tumor.
Catumaxomab is marketed by TRION Pharma’s partner Fresenius Biotech for the intraperitoneal treatment of malignant ascites. It is the most advanced representative of TRION Pharma’s unique family of Triomab® antibodies and presently the only approved trifunctional, bispecific antibody on the market world-wide. Three more Triomab® candidates are currently under preclinical or clinical development for the treatment of various cancers.
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