Post by JHam on Aug 12, 2015 12:08:49 GMT
I was reading the comments section of the most recent SA article earlier and came across a comment that mentioned a company called Scancell and their SCIB1 DNA plasmid vaccine. From the company website:
www.scancell.co.uk/products
SCIB1 is a plasmid DNA which encodes a human antibody molecule engineered to express two cytotoxic T cell epitopes derived from the melanoma antigens Tyrosinase-Related Protein 2 (TRP2) and gp100 plus two helper T cell epitopes. Following immunisation, the engineered antibody is expressed and taken up by dendritic cells, resulting in the development of immune responses against tumour cells expressing the TRP2 and gp100 antigens. The major advantage of the Immunobody® technology is that the Fc component of the engineered antibody will be recognised by the high affinity CD64 receptor present on dendritic cells, leading to a significant enhancement of both the frequency and avidity of the T cell immune response. The induction of high avidity T cells against TRP-2 and gp100 destroys both primary and metastatic tumours, leading to longer progression free survival.
It looks very promising and so far they are showing similar trial results to ONCS. Also from the website:
Up to 40 patients with Stage III or Stage IV melanoma will be recruited into the study and will receive up to five doses of the SCIB1 vaccine over a 6 month period and may also be invited to enter a long term treatment programme.
The initial results have been highly encouraging.
All 16 patients with resected tumours are still alive and only five have progressed. The median recurrence-free survival (when 50% of patients have died) has not been reached; these resected patients have a median survival time of 34 months for Stage III patients (n=9) and 31 months for Stage IV patients (n=7). This compares very favourably with data from historical controls.
These data support the hypothesis that SCIB1 could have an important future role as first line treatment for patients with resected Stage II or III disease, a key area of unmet medical need for which there are no effective and safe treatment options available at present.
Recent poster trial update from June:
www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/32098/news/industry-news/scancell-provides-update-on-phase-12-clinical-trial-of-scib1-in-stage-iiiiv-melanoma/
The actual data:
www.scancell.co.uk/file-manager/scientific-papers/asco-poster-final1.pdf
Scancell's does not use IL-12. Instead, their plasmid expresses a the protein TRP2. They do however, delivery it with electroporation and have a similar safety profile to ONCS. No toxicity issues. I am curious to hear what others have to say about this company. On the surface they look to be in direct competition with ONCS. On the other hand, I like that there is another company getting good results using a very similar approach to ONCS. More validity for the DNA plasmid/electroporation method.
Any thoughts?
www.scancell.co.uk/products
SCIB1 is a plasmid DNA which encodes a human antibody molecule engineered to express two cytotoxic T cell epitopes derived from the melanoma antigens Tyrosinase-Related Protein 2 (TRP2) and gp100 plus two helper T cell epitopes. Following immunisation, the engineered antibody is expressed and taken up by dendritic cells, resulting in the development of immune responses against tumour cells expressing the TRP2 and gp100 antigens. The major advantage of the Immunobody® technology is that the Fc component of the engineered antibody will be recognised by the high affinity CD64 receptor present on dendritic cells, leading to a significant enhancement of both the frequency and avidity of the T cell immune response. The induction of high avidity T cells against TRP-2 and gp100 destroys both primary and metastatic tumours, leading to longer progression free survival.
It looks very promising and so far they are showing similar trial results to ONCS. Also from the website:
Up to 40 patients with Stage III or Stage IV melanoma will be recruited into the study and will receive up to five doses of the SCIB1 vaccine over a 6 month period and may also be invited to enter a long term treatment programme.
The initial results have been highly encouraging.
All 16 patients with resected tumours are still alive and only five have progressed. The median recurrence-free survival (when 50% of patients have died) has not been reached; these resected patients have a median survival time of 34 months for Stage III patients (n=9) and 31 months for Stage IV patients (n=7). This compares very favourably with data from historical controls.
These data support the hypothesis that SCIB1 could have an important future role as first line treatment for patients with resected Stage II or III disease, a key area of unmet medical need for which there are no effective and safe treatment options available at present.
Recent poster trial update from June:
www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/32098/news/industry-news/scancell-provides-update-on-phase-12-clinical-trial-of-scib1-in-stage-iiiiv-melanoma/
The actual data:
www.scancell.co.uk/file-manager/scientific-papers/asco-poster-final1.pdf
Scancell's does not use IL-12. Instead, their plasmid expresses a the protein TRP2. They do however, delivery it with electroporation and have a similar safety profile to ONCS. No toxicity issues. I am curious to hear what others have to say about this company. On the surface they look to be in direct competition with ONCS. On the other hand, I like that there is another company getting good results using a very similar approach to ONCS. More validity for the DNA plasmid/electroporation method.
Any thoughts?
