Her2 Vaccine "immunity can persist as long as 7 years at the end of immunization"

[RhondaH]

Have any others seen this? Michele, is this the trial you participated in? Any info on?

Rhonda

Grant Update!

Encouraging News for Breast/Ovarian Cancer Patients

CTRF recently talked with Dr. Nora Disis from the University

of Washington about the outcome of her study entitled

“

Combination Immunotherapy for the Generation of HER-

2/neu [HER2] Specific Cytoxic T-Cells [CTL] in Vivo.”

“Funding from CTRF has allowed us to develop two new

types of cancer treatment. First are vaccines for the prevention

of cancer relapse. We have been able to demonstrate

that HER2 is an immunogenic protein and that breast and ovarian cancer

patients can be immunized against HER2. In Phase I studies we have shown

that immunity can persist as long as 7 years at the end of immunization.

Phase II studies evaluating prevention of relapse are underway. Secondly,

we showed that after vaccination you can prime T-Cells very readily to grow in

vitro. This has allowed us to expand tumor specific T-Cells outside the body

and infuse them into breast and ovarian cancer patients literally supplying

them with an immune system that can recognize their tumor. Our initial Phase

I studies have been promising in that even advanced stage heavily treated

cancer patients have demonstrated clinical responses.”

Further research will be done with the National Institute of

Health/Department of Defense as a follow-up to CTRF funding.

For a more in-depth look at Dr. Disis’s study, see the

Journal of Clinical Oncology May 15, 2004 issue.