Gothenburg, Sweden, 2013-10-23 12:27 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The first patient in Immunicum’s clinical phase I/II-study in primary liver cancer today received the initial dose of the therapeutic cancer vaccine INTUVAX®. The Company is also finalizing a clinical phase I/II-study in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, initiated in February 2012 and thus far showing promising data.
The liver cancer study will include a total of 12 patients and is conducted at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. The primary objective is to investigate whether INTUVAX® is safe, but immunological response and overall survival will also be evaluated.
- Liver cancer is a rather difficult and aggressive type of cancer and there are currently no curative treatments for the patients we will include in the study. With INTUVAX®, we hope to offer a safe and effective treatment option, says Jamal El-Mosleh, CEO of Immunicum.
Immunicum’s vaccine cells are comprised of white blood cells from healthy blood donors, so-called allogeneic dendritic cells, which through a unique processing system are developed into effective immune activating cells. Production is currently being conducted at Cancer Center Karolinska, in Stockholm, Sweden. The patients will receive a total of three doses of INTUVAX® through injection into the primary tumor in the liver and the last patient is expected to be treated in 2015.
Immunicum’s patented vaccine is based on over 30 years of research in the field of transplantation immunology and, by use of a new method, activates the body's own immune system to attack tumor cells. Immunicum’s shares have been traded since April 22, 2013 on NASDAQ OMX First North under the ticker IMMU.
G&W Fondkommission is chosen as the Company’s Certified Adviser.
Tel: +468-503 000 50. www.gwkapital.se.
For further information please contact:
Jamal El-Mosleh, CEO of Immunicum, +4631-772 81 50,
jamal.el-mosleh@immunicum.com
About Immunicum AB (publ):
Immunicum AB (publ) develops cancer immunotherapies. Its two main groups of therapeutic cancer vaccines, SUBCUVAX® and INTUVAX®, and the method of expansion of tumor-specific T-cells (CD70) is based on the Nobel prize awarded discovery of the dendritic cell and its central role in the activation of the specific immune response. Since the raw material consists of dendritic cells from healthy donors, Immunicum’s products can be produced in large scale. The vaccines have proven efficacy in animal studies and are now undergoing clinical trials in patients.