Preliminary results of two large immune therapy studies show promise in advanced cervical cancer
Date:
October 5, 2020
Source:
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Summary:
Preliminary results from two independent, phase II clinical trials
investigating a new PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1)-based
immune therapy for metastatic cervical cancer suggest potential
new treatment options for a disease that currently has limited
effective options and disproportionately impacts younger women.
FULL STORY ========================================================================== Preliminary results from two independent, phase II clinical trials investigating a new PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1)-based immune
therapy for metastatic cervical cancer suggest potential new treatment
options for a disease that currently has limited effective options and disproportionately impacts younger women.
========================================================================== David O'Malley, MD, of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer
Center - - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC -- James), presented the preliminary study results at
the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress 2020
on Sept. 18. O'Malley was the lead presenter for both trials, which were sponsored by Agenus Inc.
Each study involved more than 150 patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer from cancer treatment centers across the United States
and Europe. All patients were previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy as a first-line therapy. The two independent but consecutive
phase II trials tested a new immune-based agent called balstilimab
given alone or in combination with a second monoclonal antibody drug
called zalifrelimab.
Balstilimab is part of a class of drugs called checkpoint
inhibitors. These drugs target the PD-1 protein within cancer cells and
act as an "on" switch to help the immune system recognize and destroy
cancer cells that would otherwise go undetected. Zalifrelimab is a drug
that delivers engineered molecules (monoclonal antibodies) that allow
for improved immune response to attack cancer cells.
For the first study, 160 patients were treated with single-agent
balstilimab, resulting in a 14% response rate in all treated patients
and a 19% response rate in PD-L1 positive patients.
For the second study, 155 patients were treated with balstilimab given
in combination with zalifrelimab, resulting in a 22% response rate in
all patients and a 27% response rate in PD-L1 positive patients.
"These two studies represent the largest trials of immuno-oncology
therapies in relapsed cervical cancer to date and show that balstilimab
and zalifrelimab may present meaningful new therapies for patients with cervical cancer," O'Malley says. "Advances in these agents offer renewed
hope for patients who have limited treatment options. This is especially important because this disease disproportionately affects younger women."
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Ohio_State_University_Wexner_Medical_Center. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.
==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201005144634.htm
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