GVAX

GVAX is a cancer vaccine composed of whole tumor cells genetically modified to secrete the immune stimulatory cytokine, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and then irradiated to prevent further cell division. The product exists as both autologous (patient specific) and allogeneic (non-patient specific) therapy.[1]

History

GVAX was developed around 1993 by Glenn Dranoff, a cancer researcher then at the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[2] The therapy was initially developed by a public gene therapy company called Somatix, which was acquired in 1997 by Cell Genesys.[3] That company took the vaccine into Phase III trials in 2004 however these trials were halted in 2008 due to an apparent lack of efficacy.[4] Cell Genesys continued development, however in August 2009, due to funding difficulties, the company announced that it was merging with BioSante Pharmaceuticals.[5] In 2013 BioSante sold the GVAx program to Aduro Biotech, a company based in Berkeley, California.[6]

Current development

Aduro Biotech is currently in Phase II with GVAX in pancreatic cancer, where the company is also trialing a combination of GVAX with a PD-1 inhibitor.[7]

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References
  1. Hege KM, Jooss K, Pardoll D (September 2006). "GM-CSF gene-modifed [sic] cancer cell immunotherapies: of mice and men". Int Rev Immunol. 25 (5–6): 321–352. doi:10.1080/08830180600992498. PMID 17169779.
  2. Dranoff, Glenn (15 April 1993). "Vaccination with irradiated tumor cells engineered to secrete murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor stimulates potent, specific, and long-lasting anti-tumor immunity". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 90 (8): 3539–43. doi:10.1073/pnas.90.8.3539. PMC 46336. PMID 8097319.
  3. "Cell Genesys to Buy Somatix Therapy". Los Angeles Times. 14 January 1997.
  4. "Cell Genesys Halts VITAL-2 GVAX Trial in Advanced Prostate Cancer". Business Wire. 27 August 2008.
  5. Carroll, John (10 August 2009). "BioSante, Cell Genesys merger will provide cash for Phase III". Fierce Biotech. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  6. "Aduro announces acquisition of GVAX assets from BioSante". Aduro Biotech. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  7. "Aduro Biotech pipeline". Retrieved 7 May 2015.
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