ImmunoCellular Therapeutics (IMUC.OB) Safety and Efficacy Results for Glioblastoma Trial

IMUC.OB presented safety and preliminary efficacy data of the PI dendritic cell cancer clinical trial for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) at the ANN annual meeting.

Of 16 newly-diagnosed patients with GBM enrolled between 5/07 and 11/09, 11 (69%) are still alive;  6 (38%) continue to show no tumor progression for more than 2 years without disease progression. No serious adverse events were reported and minor side effects have been limited to fatigue, skin rash and pruritis

• Overall 2 year survival for patients treated with ICT-107 was 80%, compared to historical rates for overall survival on standard treatment of 26% in all GBM and 38% in GBM patients whose tumor is completely resected.  Median overall survival has not yet been reached. Median Progression-Free Survival (PFS) for patients receiving the cancer vaccine was 16.9 months, comparing favorably with historical PFS of 6.9 months for patients receiving standard treatment and 2 year PFS for vaccine-treated patients was 44%.

The Bottom Line: This data demonstrates that dendritic cell vaccine, ICT-107, which was designed to target both cancer cells and cancer stem cells has the potential to significantly delay disease recurrence, and thus increase survival in GBM. The vaccine is made by taking dendritic cells obtained from the patient’s own (autologous) blood, and mixing them with certain manufactured proteins known to be present on cancer cells and cancer stem cells. Patients underwent 3 vaccinations, along with follow-up clinic visits to check their status, after they had received the standard treatment of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Glioblastoma is a devastating cancer, with 2 year progression-free-survival rate of approximately 11%. IMUC.OB’s PII trial of ICT-107 for GBM is now enrolling patients.