On April 29, the FDA Oncology Drug Advisory Committee voted 22-1 to recommend approval of Amgen’s talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma. Continue reading
Category Archives: Vaccines
Bullet Biotech – Viral-Like Particles Expressing B-cell Idiotypes for Cancer
This example of personalized medicine involves exploiting the highly selective proteins that are expressed by patients’ B-cells. Bullet Biotechnology isolates the specific idiotypic (Id) protein from patients with B-cell lymphomas (CLL – chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and NHL – non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and expresses it on the surface of a virus-like particle to provoke a highly specific anti-Id response against B-cell clones expressing the specific Id protein. Continue reading
IND for Clinical Studies of dCellVax Breast Cancer Immune Therapy Filed – Intelligent and Rational Gene Silencing Approach for Cancer
Regen Biopharma recently filed an IND (Investigational New Drug Application) with the FDA to permit the initiation of Phase 1 clinical trials of its dCellVax treatment for advanced breast cancer. Continue reading
Stealth Nanoparticles To Reach Macrophages in Lymph Nodes
Antigen Presenting Cells (APc’s – dendritic cells, monocytes, and macrophages) are the key to provoking a robust adaptive immune response. But are all APC’s created equally in this regard? Not exactly. Continue reading
Novel mutated antigens from Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes from long-term melanoma responders
Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) are cytotoxic T-cells that are found in tumors. They serve to destroy cancer, or at least keep cancer at bay. Adoptive immunotherapy, Continue reading
Immune Design files IPO for immuno-oncology CTL and T-helper platforms
Immune Design is the latest immuno-oncology company to file an Initial Public Offering to raise money to advance its platform technology and products. The company has 2 principal approaches to direct the immune system to fight cancer… Continue reading
Genetic Analyses of Cancer – Precision Medicine a New Standard
Memorial Sloan Kettering has started testing the cancers of its patients for 341 cancer-related genes. It is collaborating with Quest Diagnostics to perform the analyses in an effort to identify biomarkers that can best guide appropriate therapy. This is precision medicine, and it is happening at other major cancer centers, as well… Continue reading