Biovex out of Woburn, Massachusetts recently completed Phase II clinical trials of the firm’s virus based technology aimed at attacking tumor cells. In this study, the OncoVEXGM-CSF oncolytic herpes virus was tested on patients with advanced melanoma. The results were promising enough to raise $70 million in funds to move the technology further through the trials.
The Company’s lead cancer treatment, OncoVEXGM-CSF is a first-in-class oncolytic, or cancer destroying virus, that works by replicating and spreading within solid tumors (leaving healthy cells unaffected), thereby causing cancer cell death and stimulating the immune system to destroy un-injected metastatic deposits. Both modes of action have been clearly validated in the clinic, where multiple patients with metastatic disease progressing at enrollment have been declared disease free. BioVex believes OncoVEXGM-CSF has the potential to become a leading standard of care in the treatment of many solid tumors based on the strength of clinical data so far generated coupled with the relatively benign side effect profile noted to date. Previous clinical trials have enrolled patients with breast cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer and pancreatic cancer, with indications of clinical activity being observed in each.
Press releases: BIOVEX ANNOUNCES PUBLICATION OF PHASE 2 MELANOMA RESULTS WITH ONCOVEXGM-CSF IN THE JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY…; BIOVEX COMPLETES $70 MILLION FINANCING TO CONCLUDE PIVOTAL STUDY WITH ITS PIONEERING CANCER TREATMENT, ONCOVEXGM-CSF…
Abstract in Journal of Clinical Oncology: Phase II Clinical Trial of a Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor-Encoding, Second-Generation Oncolytic Herpesvirus in Patients With Unresectable Metastatic Melanoma
Image: Transmission electron micrograph of 4 views of Herpes simplex virus, computer-coloured mauve. Wellcome Images.
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