Locally developed cancer drug shows promise
Tom Tobin • Staff writer • January 4, 2011
Rochester's Vaccinex Inc. has won federal approval for a clinical trial of a therapeutic antibody that has shown promise in attacking the growth of cancerous tumors.
The company, a spinoff from the University of Rochester that has developed vaccines, antibodies and other biological agents to combat such diseases as cancer and multiple sclerosis, plans two trials this year of the antibody. Antibodies are proteins employed by the immune system to identify and combat foreign objects.
The antibody in this case blocks the development of the molecule semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D). SEMA4D promotes the movement of tumor cells to other parts of the body.
Treatments that can prevent or retard the metastasizing of tumors can slow the cancer and allow other treatments more time to function.
"This is important," said Dr. Maurice Zauderer, president and chief executive officer of Vaccinex. "If tumors did not metastasize, then surgeons could cure cancer."
The antibody also could be used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis by serving as an anti-inflammatory to stop the spread of the disease and to help heal damaged tissue.
The Phase I clinical trial of the antibody, called VX15/2503, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The second trial will assess the antibody's success against SEMA4D in multiple sclerosis patients.
"A lot of cancer treatments attack the cells whereas this has as its target the tumors," Dr. John Basile, professor of oncology at the University of Maryland Dental School, said Monday.
"This is at the very early stage and is one of many efforts to combat cancer. But it is an approach that slows the growth of blood vessels in tumors," Basile said.
Ray Watkins, chief operating officer of Vaccinex, said that "advancing VX15 into the clinical stage of development is an exciting achievement."
Vaccinex was founded in 1997 and has raised $90 million from investors while winning $10 million in research grants. It employs about 50 people.
TTOBIN@DemocratandChronicle.com
democratandchronicle.com |
