Listeria Monocytogenes-Based Cancer Vaccine Platform Shows Promise in Early Studies

A new Listeria monocytogenes-based cancer vaccine revealed evidence of immune activation, induction of tumor-specific immunity, and that 37% of end-stage cancer patients treated with the compound lived 15 months or longer.

Aduro BioTech, Inc. (Berkeley, CA, USA) reported on the publication of two therapeutic cancer vaccine phase 1 studies in the February 1, 2012, issue of the journal Clinical Cancer Research. In the article, Dr. Dung Le from Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD, USA) and colleagues reported that intravenous administration of ANZ-100 and CRS-207 was well tolerated in subjects with advanced, treatment-refractory cancers. “We envision multiple near-term product opportunities in oncology,” the authors remarked.

ANZ-100 is the first clinical candidate based on Aduro’s live-attenuated, double-deleted (LADD) Listeria monocytogenes vaccine platform, which has been modified to be safe for human use through deletion of two virulence determinants (actA and inlB) that attenuate the ability of the microorganism to invade nonphagocytic cells and to spread from cell to cell. CRS-207 is further engineered to express mesothelin, which has been shown in humans and animal models to be an important target for immunotherapy.

ANZ-100 was evaluated in a single-dose study in nine study participants with liver metastases. CRS-207 was evaluated in a multiple-dose study in 17 subjects with tumors known to overexpress mesothelin: mesothelioma, non-small-cell lung, pancreatic, and ovarian. A dose range was identified in both clinical studies that is safe and induces a specific immune response.

Further study of the CRS-207 trial revealed a mesothelin-specific T cell response and that, in spite of life expectancies of only 3-6 months, 37% of subjects with metastatic, treatment-refractory cancers lived 15 months or longer. Based on these promising data, Aduro is currently evaluating CRS-207 in a randomized, controlled phase 2 clinical trial in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

“This publication shows the safety and potential potency of our LADD therapeutic vaccine platform,” said Stephen Isaacs, chairman and CEO of Aduro BioTech. “We envision multiple near-term product opportunities in oncology.”

Aduro BioTech is developing multiple therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines for cancer and infectious diseases based on its proprietary attenuated Listeria monocytogenes-based vaccine platforms. The company’s proprietary vaccine platforms have been validated by 25 publications that illustrate the platform’s unique combination of safety and potency, by multiple issued US patents and by more than USD 23 million in federal and private grant and contract funding.

Related Links:
Aduro BioTech
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine