Positive immune monitoring results have been demonstrated with the company’s cancer vaccine RV001
13 December, 2017
RhoVac AB (“RhoVac”) announced today, 13 December 2017 that the company has obtained positive INFγ ELIspot results showing that seven out of eight patients tested, respond to the RV001 vaccine and mount a significant vaccine mediated immune response.
RhoVac’s RV001 cancer vaccine, which is currently in clinical phase I/II focusing on patients with diagnosed prostate cancer, is targeting metastatic cancer cells and the goal for the RV001 project is to develop a cancer vaccine to prevent or limit the spread of cancer. The cancer vaccine is targeting the protein RhoC, known to be overexpressed in practically all cancer cells that can metastasize – no matter what type of cancer the spread originates from.
The most widely used method for monitoring cellular immune response is INFγ ELIspot analysis. The protocol for this analytical method needs to be adapted for use with the actual antigen used for activating the cellular immune response and RhoVac has, in close collaboration with University of Tübingen in Germany now completed the analytical development work on the INFγ ELIspot analytical method.
For the final documentation of the analytical development, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from eight patients enrolled in the ongoing phase I/II clinical trial were isolated and analyzed for specific RV001 vaccine mediated immune response. The results conclude that seven out of eight patients show a significant response to the RV001 cancer vaccine.
The conclusion in the INFγ ELIspot method testing is based on blood samples drawn after the eight patients had received six out of eleven vaccinations. However, in six out of the seven responding patients, significant immune response was also detected in the blood samples drawn after four of eleven vaccinations, meaning that a specific vaccine mediated immune response is already established approximately six weeks after initiation of treatment.
The analyses performed as part of the analytical development include samples from only eight of those twenty-two patients recruited in the ongoing clinical phase I/II study and are made to ensure that the protocol of the analytical method is adapted to the antigen RV001. Although reported results are conclusive in terms of immunological response, it is the samples defined in the clinical protocol that are the basis for the final conclusion. The clinical phase I/II study thus proceeds as planned and here the analyses will be performed on blood samples drawn from all 22 patients before, during and after vaccination; all in all four sample points. The analysis of these samples is scheduled to start in February 2018 and the results will be reported in the second quarter of 2018.
Comments from RhoVac´s CEO, Anders Ljungqvist
– The analytical results demonstrating that a specific immune response to our RV001 vaccine is raised in treated patients, is a milestone for the RV001 project and for RhoVac. I would like to express my thanks to University of Tübingen and specifically to the team of Dr. Gouttefangeas, for a timely and very professional work. We are looking forward to our continued collaboration with the team.
For more information, please contact:
Anders Ljungqvist – CEO, RhoVac AB
Phone: +45 4083 2365
E-mail: alj@rhovac.com
This is an English version of an original Swedish press release communicated by RhoVac AB. In case of interpretation issues or possible differences between the different versions, the Swedish version shall apply. This constitutes information that RhoVac AB is required to publish under the EU’s Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication through the above contact person on the 13 December 2017.
About RhoVac AB
RhoVac AB conducts research and development of immunotherapeutic drugs. The company’s main focus is the development of a therapeutic cancer vaccine with the potential to prevent or limit metastasis in cancer. RhoVac’s first drug candidate has completed pre-clinical phase and clinical phase I/II study has started spring 2017. RhoVac has its head office at Medicon Village in Lund, Sweden. The research has been conducted since 2007 primarily at the University Hospital in Herlev, Denmark, by a world-class research team in its niche. RhoVac is listed on Spotlight Stock Market, Sweden, a Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF), since March 2016. The share is traded under the ticker RHOVAC. Read more at www.rhovac.com.
