Ullevål University Hospital and GemVax collaborate on translational research
Pharmexa's Norwegian subsidiary GemVax collaborates with Ullevål University Hospital on translational research of immunotherapy in combination with different treatment regimens. It is part of GemVax' strategy to participate in translational research in collaboration with leading cancer centers in Norway and Sweden. Ullevål University Hospital (Norway), with Professor Trond Buanes as principal investigator, has tested GemVax' GV1001 telomerase vaccine together with the adjuvant imiquimod in a phase I/II pilot trial in 24 patients suffering from inoperable pancreatic cancer. The pilot trial tests the various combinations of imiquimod, GM-CSF and radiation therapy, together with GV1001. The trial is intended to demonstrate the safety and immunogenicity of this treatment regimen.
Ullevål University Hospital has now, in collaboration with GemVax, received regulatory approval to add a new treatment arm to the phase I/II pilot trial protocol. The intention is to investigate if initial treatment with cyclophosphamide affects the patients' immune response. Cyclophophamide is believed to down regulate so-called regulatory T cells, which contributes to controlling the immune response. The new treatment arm includes 10 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Treatments in the new trial arm have just started and the whole trial is expected to be completed in 2007.
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