AIVITA Biomedical has announced updated data from its ongoing glioblastoma Phase 2 clinical trial investigating AIVITA's platform immunotherapy targeting tumor-initiating cells. In approximately 80% of treated patients, sequential blood plasma biomarker analyses have identified the induction of a type II hypersensitivity response, followed by a dendritic cell-mediated antibody response. This immunological response is accompanied by decreased tumor load in approximately 81% of those same patients, equivalent to 65% of the total number of treated patients.
Blood was collected from subjects at multiple time points, one week after each dose administration, and assayed for 450 different immune and tumor biomarkers. A robust type II hypersensitivity response was noted as an acute development at 2-3 weeks post-treatment, followed by dendritic cell maturation and the induction of an antibody-mediated response by 8 weeks post-treatment. Furthermore, the response is proportional to tumor load. The oncology literature associates this immunological profile with survival; indeed, 81% of the treated patients in the AIVITA study exhibiting this immunological profile also show a decrease of tumor markers.
"Blood analyses indicate that the AIVITA immunotherapy, in the presence of tumor, triggers an acute cytotoxic hypersensitivity followed by an antibody-mediated response and tumor marker reduction," said Dr. Gabriel Nistor, Chief Science Officer at AIVITA. "While very encouraging, only time will truly validate whether the appropriate immune response and decreasing tumor markers translate into patient survival."
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AIVITA is currently conducting three distinct clinical studies in the USA investigating its platform immunotherapy, in patients with ovarian cancer, glioblastoma and melanoma. AIVITA is also seeking conditional commercial approval of its melanoma treatment in Japan. AIVITA uses 100% of proceeds from the sale of its ROOT of SKIN™ skincare line to support the treatment of women with ovarian cancer.
AIVITA's ovarian Phase 2 double-blind study is active and enrolling approximately 99 patients who are being randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive either the autologous tumor-initiating cell-targeting immunotherapy or autologous monocytes as a comparator.
Patients eligible for randomization and treatment will be those (1) who have undergone debulking surgery, (2) for whom a cell line has been established, (3) who have undergone leukapheresis from which sufficient monocytes were obtained, (4) have an ECOG performance grade of 0 or 1 (Karnofsky score of 70-100%), and (5) who have completed primary therapy. The trial is not open to patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.
AIVITA's glioblastoma Phase 2 single-arm study is active and is enrolling approximately 55 patients to receive the tumor-initiating cell-targeting immunotherapy.