Full Press Release Details
LEXINGTON, Mass., April 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agenus Inc. (Nasdaq:AGEN) reported today that Dr. Andrew Parsa, Professor in Residence, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), will present an abstract entitled, "A Phase 2 multicenter trial of autologous heat shock protein-peptide vaccine (HSPPC-96; vitespen) for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients shows improved survival compared to a contemporary cohort controlled for age, KPS and extent of resection," at the 80th American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Miami, Florida, April 14-18, 2012. Dr. Parsa's presentation will be given during Plenary Session II of the AANS meeting, which is scheduled for April 17, 2012 at 10:30 am ET.
Dr. Andrew Parsa is the lead clinical investigator sponsoring the Phase 2 trials of Agenus' Prophage Series G-100 and G-200 in newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM, respectively. For further information regarding these trials please refer to www.clinicaltrials.gov and search on study numbers C-100-34 and C-100-37.
HSP Platform: The Prophage Series G Cancer Vaccines
The Prophage Series of vaccines are patient-specific therapeutic cancer vaccine candidates. Prophage Series vaccines contain the heat shock protein, gp96, and associated peptides that are purified from patient tumor tissue. Prophage Series vaccines are designed to target only cancerous cells - not healthy normal cells. As a result, Prophage Series vaccines are designed to limit the toxicities associated with traditional broad-acting cancer treatments.
The Prophage Series G vaccines are being studied in two different settings of glioma: newly diagnosed and recurrent disease. Glioma is the deadliest form of brain cancer with an average survival of six to 14 months.
Data from the Phase 2 trial of Prophage Series G-200 vaccine in recurrent glioma was presented at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Results from this trial showed that 93% of the patients were alive at 26 weeks after surgery with a median overall survival of 11 months (47.6 weeks). Importantly, measures of immune response post-vaccination with Prophage Series G-200 demonstrated a significant localized tumor-specific CD8+ T cell response as well as innate immune responses as marked by a significant increase in levels of circulating NK cells. Overall survival results from this trial support advancement of Prophage Series G-200 into a randomized study using a combination regimen.
A Phase 2 trial testing the Prophage Series G-100 vaccine in patients with newly diagnosed glioma is ongoing. In this trial, G-100 is being used on top of the standard of care, which includes Temodar (Merck; temozolomide) and radiation. It is believed that the efficacy of G-100 could potentially be enhanced through this combination regimen.
The trial is being sponsored by Dr. Andrew Parsa of UCSF and primarily supported through funding from the American Brain Tumor Association, Accelerated Brain Cancer Cure, National Brain Tumor Society, and National Cancer Institute Special Programs of Research Excellence. Dr. Parsa has not received any financial support or travel expense reimbursement for this work or for consulting activities on behalf of Agenus. Dr. Parsa does not have an equity interest in Agenus or a financial relationship with the company.
Agenus Inc. is a biotechnology company working to develop treatments for cancers and infectious diseases. The company is focused on immunotherapeutic products based on strong platform technologies with multiple product candidates advancing through the clinic, including several product candidates that have advanced into late-stage clinical trials through corporate partners. Between Agenus and its partners, 18 programs are in clinical development. For more information, please visit www.agenusbio.com.
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Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding clinical trial activities and the presentation of data. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the factors described under the Risk Factors section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the period ended December 31, 2011. Agenus cautions investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. These statements speak only as of the date of this document, and Agenus undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Agenus' business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those identified above. When evaluating Agenus' business and securities, investors should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.