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news.Viragen's anticancer product, the anti-CD55 antibody, was found to significantly enhance the activity of Biogen Idec and Genentech's Rituxan when both drugs were used together in a cell-based evaluation study.
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The anti-CD55 antibody is under an exclusive option from Cancer Research Technology (UK), and is being developed for the treatment of a broad range of solid tumors. These preliminary results indicate its potential in improving the efficacy of leading cancer therapies.
Previous laboratory studies confirmed that the anti-CD55 antibody binds to a specific target expressed on the surface of tumor cells and removes one of the tumor’s most important protective mechanisms, thereby making cancer cells vulnerable to attack by the immune system or other anticancer products.
In this in vitro study, the antibody was combined with Rituxan (rituximab), a leading cancer medication with global sales of more than $1.5 billion in 2004. The results showed that the combination of the anti-CD55 antibody and Rituxan led to a significant increase in the destruction of cancer cells as compared to Rituxan alone.
“Our new results using the antibody in tandem with Rituxan are very encouraging as they demonstrate the synergistic effect of ‘anti-CD55’ when combined with a proven antibody in vitro,” said Dr Karen Jervis, Viragen’s director of product development. “We believe this same beneficial effect may also be realized when we use the antibody with other cancer products, and we hope to yield similar results with other commercial anticancer agents.”