An experimental vaccine developed by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic about significant prolonged the survival time of patients with advanced prostate cancer, according to a study coordinated by the US National Cancer Institute.
The study was conducted on a sample of 30 patients with prostate cancer who have positive developments after standard treatments that reduce the body concentrations of testosterone, the male hormone that feeds the disease.
Patients were treated with PROSTVAC vaccine produced by Bavarian Nordic, along with increased doses of Yervoy, an injectable medication produced by Bristol-Myers Squibb, approved treatments against advanced melanoma, which works by annihilation "brakes" that keep under control the immune system .
On average, patients taking both drugs survived 31.3 months, compared with classical survival time of 18.5 months based on data extracted from the medical records of patients treated previously with chemotherapy.
Of the 15 patients who received the maximum dose - 10 milligrams - of Yervoy in combination with PROSTVAC, 20% remained alive for 80 months.
Scientists expect Yervoy and an emerging group of immuno-oncology drugs, called "PD-1 inhibitors", created by Bristol-Myers, Merck & Co. and other pharmaceutical companies have the greatest efficacy when administered together. PD-1 inhibitors make cancer cells more visible to the immune system, removing their natural camouflage.
Complete data on PROSTVAC clinical study will be presented Thursday at a medical conference - genitourinary Cancers Symposium - held in the US city of Orlando.
PROSTVAC vaccine was designed to elicit an immune response against cancer cells in the prostate.
Source: Mediafax
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