Dr. Stuart Weissman Speaks on CD47 Trial

[KDR]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVqO62APPSU

[Adriana Mangus]

Karen,

I love Dr. Weissman already. I had no idea about how fast the UK gets on board to try out these clinical trials, what a shame for us the United States, we are so far behind, it needs to stop, there is no reason for unnecessary deaths in the US just because of a few nuts in our government.

Hopefully we will be able to participate in this clinical trial in the near future.

Thank you so much for posting.

Love,

Adriana

[KirisMum]

This video was posted on YouTube 14 months ago. At that point Dr. Weismann was anticipating human trials to begin in "not more than 8 or 9 months." What's holding things up?

[Lani]

It is Dr. Irving Weissman and he has had a long and distinguished career and he and his lab have been particularly responsible for advances in stem cell research, the California Stem Cell institute etc.

Here is part of his bio from Stanford:
Academic Appointments
Professor, Pathology - Pathology Stem Cell Institute
Professor, Developmental Biology
Professor (By courtesy), Biology
Member, Bio-X
Member, Stanford Cancer Institute
Administrative Appointments
Director, Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine (2003 - Present)
Honors & Awards
National Academy of Sciences Council, National Academy of Sciences (2011)
Honorary Investigator, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China (2010)
Honorary Professor, Peking Union Medical College, China (2010)
Simon M. Shubitz Award for Excellence in the Field of Cancer Research, University of Chicago (2010)
The Cockrell Foundation Award in Clinical or Translational Research, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute (2009)
Honorary Director, Center for Biotech/BioMedicine and Shenzhen Key Lab of Gene & Antibody Therapy, Graduate School of Shenzhen, Tsinghau University, China (2009)
Passano Award, The Passano Foundation (2009)
Rosentiel Award, Brandeis University (2009)
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2008)
Robert Koch Award, Koch Foundation (2008)
Honoree of the Arthritis Foundation of Northern California Chapter's 2007 Tribute Dinner, Arthritis Foundation (2007)
I & H Wachter Award, I & H Wachter Foundation (2007)
Honorary Doctorate, Mount Sinai School of Medicine (2007)
John Scott Award, City of Philadelphia (2006)
American-Italian Cancer Foundation Prize for Scientific Excellence in Medicine, American-Italian Cancer Foundation (2006)
Honorary Doctorate, Columbia University (2006)
The Commonwealth Club of California 18th Annual Distinguished Citizen Award, Commonwealth Club of California (2006)
Jeffrey Modell "Dare to Dream" Award, Jeffrey Modell Foundation (2005)
The Linus Pauling Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Science, Stanford University (2005)
Rabbi Shai Shacknai Memorial Prize in Immunology and Cancer Research, The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology (2004)
Medal for Distinguished Contributions to Biomedical Research, New York Academy of Medicine (2004)
Alan Cranston Awardee, Alliance for Aging Research (2004)
Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal, National Academy of Sciences Council (2004)
Bass Award, Society of Neurological Surgeons (2003)
Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cancer Biology, Pasarow Foundation (1989)
Election to the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences (1989)
Professional Education
MD, Stanford University, Medicine (1965)
BS, Montana State College, Pre-med (1961)

[Lani]

more on the trial

CALIFORNIA'S STEM CELL AGENCY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

Clinical Investigation of a Humanized Anti-CD47 Antibody in Targeting Cancer Stem Cells in Hematologic Malignancies and Solid Tumors SHARE PRINT
Clinical Investigation of a Humanized Anti-CD47 Antibody in Targeting Cancer Stem Cells in Hematologic Malignancies and Solid Tumors
FUNDING TYPE:
Disease Team Therapy Development III
GRANT NUMBER:
DR3-06965
INVESTIGATOR:
PIIrving WeissmanStanford University
Co-PIRavindra MajetiStanford University
Partner-PIParesh VyasUniversity of Oxford
APPROVED FUNDS:
$12,726,396
Public Abstract:
Most normal tissues are maintained by a small number of stem cells that can both self-renew to maintain stem cell numbers, and also give rise to progenitors that make mature cells. We have shown that normal stem cells can accumulate mutations that cause progenitors to self-renew out of control, forming cancer stem cells (CSC). CSC make tumors composed of cancer cells, which are more sensitive to cancer drugs and radiation than the CSC. As a result, some CSC survive therapy, and grow and spread. We sought to find therapies that include all CSC as targets. We found that all cancers and their CSC protect themselves by expressing a ‘don’t eat me’ signal, called CD47, that prevents the innate immune system macrophages from eating and killing them. We have developed a novel therapy (anti-CD47 blocking antibody) that enables macrophages to eliminate both the CSC and the tumors they produce. This anti-CD47 antibody eliminates human cancer stem cells when patient cancers are grown in mice. At the time of funding of this proposal, we will have fulfilled FDA requirements to take this antibody into clinical trials, showing in animal models that the antibody is safe and well-tolerated, and that we can manufacture it to FDA specifications for administration to humans. Here, we propose the initial clinical investigation of the anti-CD47 antibody with parallel first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trials in patients with either Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) or separately a diversity of solid tumors, who are no longer candidates for conventional therapies or for whom there are no further standard therapies. The primary objectives of our Phase I clinical trials are to assess the safety and tolerability of anti-CD47 antibody. The trials are designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose and optimal dosing regimen of anti-CD47 antibody given to up to 42 patients with AML and up to 70 patients with solid tumors. While patients will be clinically evaluated for halting of disease progression, such clinical responses are rare in Phase I trials due to the advanced illness and small numbers of patients, and because it is not known how to optimally administer the antibody. Subsequent progression to Phase II clinical trials will involve administration of an optimal dosing regimen to larger numbers of patients. These Phase II trials will be critical for evaluating the ability of anti-CD47 antibody to either delay disease progression or cause clinical responses, including complete remission. In addition to its use as a stand-alone therapy, anti-CD47 antibody has shown promise in preclinical cancer models in combination with approved anti-cancer therapeutics to dramatically eradicate disease. Thus, our future clinical plans include testing anti-CD47 antibody in Phase IB studies with currently approved cancer therapeutics that produce partial responses. Ultimately, we hope anti-CD47 antibody therapy will provide durable clinical responses in the absence of significant toxicity.
Statement of Benefit to California:
Cancer is a leading cause of death in the US accounting for approximately 30% of all mortalities. For the most part, the relative distribution of cancer types in California resembles that of the entire country. Current treatments for cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, or a combination of these interventions ("multimodal therapy"). These treatments target rapidly dividing cells, carcinogenic mutations, and/or tumor-specific proteins. A recent NIH report indicated that among adults, the combined 5-year relative survival rate for all cancers is approximately 68%. While this represents an improvement over the last decade or two, cancer causes significant morbidity and mortality to the general population as a whole. New insights into the biology of cancer have provided a potential explanation for the challenge of treating cancer. An increasing number of scientific studies suggest that cancer is initiated and maintained by a small number of cancer stem cells that are relatively resistant to current treatment approaches. Cancer stem cells have the unique properties of continuous propagation, and the ability to give rise to all cell types found in that particular cancer. Such cells are proposed to persist in tumors as a distinct population, and because of their increased ability to survive existing anti-cancer therapies, they regenerate the tumor and cause relapse and metastasis. Cancer stem cells and their progeny produce a cell surface ‘invisibility cloak’ called CD47, a ‘don’t eat me signal’ for cells of the native immune system to counterbalance ‘eat me’ signals which appear during cancer development. Our anti-CD47 antibody counters the ‘cloak’, enabling the patient’s natural immune system to eliminate the cancer stem cells and cancer cells. Our preclinical data provide compelling support that anti-CD47 antibody might be a treatment strategy for many different cancer types, including breast, bladder, colon, ovarian, glioblastoma, leiomyosarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and acute myelogenous leukemia. Development of specific therapies that target all cancer stem cells is necessary to achieve improved outcomes, especially for sufferers of metastatic disease. We hope our clinical trials proposed in this grant will indicate that anti-CD47 antibody is a safe and highly effective anti-ancer therapy that offers patients in California and throughout the world the possibility of increased survival and even complete cure.
SEARCH CIRM GRANTS
Search all stem cell grants funded by CIRM

[Lani]

http://blog.planprescriber.com/2014/...7-cancer-drug/

[Lani]

http://news.sciencemag.org/health/20...-tumors?ref=hp

[Lani]

page to follow for news on initiation of anti CD 47 trials:
http://stemcell.stanford.edu/CD47/

[Adriana Mangus]

Kiris, It takes a long time for a doctor and his team to do a research on cancer cells and what drugs will work, can you imagine stem cell --? SO, we all are anxiously waiting on magic to happens, unfortunately more research will be needed along with funds.

Hope you read Lani's posts.

Adriana

[KDR]

Well, as I understand it, they were full ready to go to Phase I, but the method in which the "treatment" was administered needed to be tweaked. That was the hold up. There are regular updates on this trial on the website.
Our team has reached out, but we have not gotten a response to speak of.
I am a total believer. I don't believe this is like anything else we've seen as yet. Notice other drug companies implementing CD47 therapies? The Scientists know something!
Karen

[kingbobber]

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/sto...uity/11572167/