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news.GenVec has announced that the first patient has been dosed in a phase I/II trial with TNFerade for head and neck cancer at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
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GenVec is sponsoring two separate phase I/II studies at the University of Chicago to explore the use of TNFerade as a second-line treatment for unresectable, recurrent tumors, and as a first-line treatment for elderly or frail patients. The trials are being funded by the US National Cancer Institute.
The investigators will first determine best dose in each indication, and will assess safety and locoregional control of the cancer following TNFerade treatment as a component of standard of care.
“We know that local control is crucial for effective treatment of head and neck cancers, and is a respected regulatory endpoint. Since TNFerade is administered directly at the tumor site, it is ideally suited for these specific indications,” stated Dr Mark Thornton, GenVec’s senior vice president of product development.
“TNFerade also has a well-established safety profile, so we believe it is a potentially appropriate treatment for elderly or frail cancer patients who cannot tolerate the cytotoxic effects of systemically administered cancer therapies,” added Dr Thornton.
TNFerade is an adenovector, or DNA carrier, which contains the gene for tumor necrosis factor-alpha, or TNF(alpha), an immune system protein with potent and well-documented anticancer effects for direct injection into tumors.