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Biotech / Medical : Biotech Valuation
CRSP 57.54-0.9%10:42 AM EST
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To: John McCarthy who wrote (7824)2/4/2003 10:00:38 AM
From: Biomaven  Read Replies (1) of 52153
 
John,

That's an impressive differential in survival. Of course the marker they use (T-cell response) might conceivably simply be a marker for those patients with a competent immune system in the first place, and the drug itself might not be doing anything much at all. We'll have to wait for a randomized trial to see.

Here's how they claim their technique works (from their web site):

Mechanisms of Immune Activation by Low Doses of Monoclonal Antibodies
The mechanism by which low doses of monoclonal antibodies activate immune responses to tumor specific antigens is, in part, analogous to the mechanism of a classic technique in experimental immunology used to produce antibodies against molecules that usually do not elicit an immune response. In this classic technique, the molecule of interest is attached to foreign antibody that is highly immunogenic by itself. In the process of attacking the foreign antibody, the body is also "tricked" into mounting an immunological reaction against the targeted molecule (tumor associated antigen) now attached to the protein.
The murine MAbs of AltaRex serve as large highly immunogenic proteins that bind to tumor specific antigens. The body's immune system creates humoral (antibody) and cellular (T cell and B cell) responses against both the monoclonal antibody and the tumor specific antigen to which it binds. Very low doses of monoclonal antibodies (administered intravenously) effectively induce this potentially therapeutic immune response. To its knowledge, AltaRex is the only company pursuing this novel application of monoclonal antibodies for tumor specific antigens, to reprogram the human immune system to attack cancer cells.

Rick is the person best able to comment on whether this is plausible or not. I'm guessing he'll be pretty skeptical.

Peter
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