12 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Breast cancer vaccine extends survival in breast cancer

The therapeutic breast cancer vaccine 'Theratope' * extends the mean survival duration of patients with breast cancer, reports Bio World Today.

'Theratope' consists of a synthetic breast cancer cell antigen conjugated to a protein carrier.

Study details In this phase II study, 50 patients with metastatic

or recurrent breast cancer received low-dose IV cyclophosphamide followed by 'Theratope', or oral cyclophosphamide for 12 days followed by 'Theratope', or 'Theratope' alone. The treatment group was compared with a historical control group comprising similar patients who had received conventional antineoplastic therapy, including antineoplastic drug therapy and radiotherapy.

Median survival 19 months The median survival among the 50 'Theratope'

recipients was 19.1 months, compared with 9.2 months among controls. Among the 25 patients who received IV cyclophosphamide followed by 'Theratope', the mean survival duration was 26.5 months.

'Minimal' adverse effects were associated with 'Theratope' administration. * Biomera; phase II Craig C. Bionrira's cancer drug dramatically extends survival in phase II study. Bioworld Today 7: 1 & 4, 11 Nov 1996 800483164

Inpharma" 23 Nov 1996 No. 1064 0156-2703196/1064-000121$01.00° Ad Is Int.ernational Limited 1996. All rights .18served