Days after reporting that its mesothelioma cancer vaccine has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Norwegian biotech Ultimovacs reported strong clinical responses to their protocol’s use.
Initial Mesothelioma Response Data Had Disappointed
Last June, Ultimovacs reported that an independent review of its mesothelioma vaccine had yielded disappointing results and that it had not met the primary endpoint of its Phase II study for progression-free survival. Still, even in the face of that disappointment, the company was able to point to a statistically significant positive progression-free survival in the UV1 arm.
In the intervening months since that result was reported, the company has continued its quest to find a universal cancer vaccine, and in testing it on mesothelioma patients, has set itself a remarkable challenge: The asbestos-related form of cancer has proven to be resistant to all of medical science’s efforts, and has a five-year survival rate of just 24%.
New Cancer Vaccine Results Show Improved Survival in Mesothelioma Patients
The company is testing combining its vaccine with Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo and Yervoy as a second-line treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma after the standard chemotherapy treatment has failed. Their latest data reveals a 27% reduction in risk of death, with median overall survival of 15.4 months compared to patients who only were treated with immunotherapy.
Beyond the additional survival time that the vaccine provided the 118 mesothelioma patients who participated in the trial, the company reports that the vaccine added no toxicities. Following these latest results, the company’s CEO Carlos de Sousa said that the “data supports further development in mesothelioma.” More information will be revealed when the company presents at the ESMO Congress 2023 in Madrid, Spain, later this week.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, innovations like these offer great promise. For information on how to access these resources, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
