Vitespen (Oncophage®), Promising Brain Tumor Vaccine

A brain tumor vaccine known as vitespen (trademarked as Oncophage®) has been found effective in stimulating the patient’s immune system to attack the tumor cells (tumor-specific immune response) in glioma.

The clinical trial being conducted at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Brain Tumor Research Center tested patients that all had recurrent, high-grade glioma who all demonstrated the immune response.

Glioma is always fatal.

According to Andrew T. Parsa, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at UCSF and recipient of the 2007 Young Investigator Award at AANS:

“In this trial, we have observed a correlation between immune response as a result of vitespen vaccination and potential clinical benefit.

We are encouraged by the prolonged improvement in overall survival rates, although this phase 1/2 study is not designed to primarily evaluate efficacy.

The patients in this trial represent the most challenging patient population to treat.”

Vitespen, made from the patient’s own tumor, has been granted fast-track and orphan drug designations from the USFDA for both metastatic melanoma (skin cancer) and renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).

Find more details from the full report.