The study treated women with locally advanced breast cancer. According to the company, results were better than what would be expected from chemotherapy treatment alone.
Complete tumor removal by subsequent surgery was achieved in 100% of the patients. At a median follow-up of 37 months, the estimate breast cancer-specific survival rate at 3 years was 84%.
“These data are very encouraging and suggest that Advexin may be combined with chemotherapy to improve patient outcomes and to enable less invasive surgeries that facilitate breast conservation,” said Dr Cristofanilli, the principal investigator of the study.
Activation of a local immune response at the site of the tumor was also observed. Treated tumors were infiltrated with cells of the immune system that are known to participate in immune responses against tumors, which may be useful in controlling local disease as well as disease outside the breast.
The p53 tumor suppressor, the active component of Advexin, has been shown to sensitize cancer cells to the effects of chemotherapy. The observation of an immune response at the tumor site suggests that Advexin may work through additional immune mechanisms of action to eradicate tumor cells.