Release date: 2017-07-04
Prior to human clinical trials, dogs were being tested for targeted and affordable cancer treatment vaccines that may have broad therapeutic potential.
Radvax is being developed by Vaxine Pty Ltd of Australia in collaboration with researchers at the University of Sydney.
The vaccine uses a unique sugar adjuvant to re-culture the immune system with the patient's own tumor protein, directing it to target cancer cells that are attacking.
Preclinical testing significantly reduces tumor progression in brain and pancreatic cancer.
A 12-month trial of a dog for various cancers has just begun to receive support from the South Australian government.
Chris Weir, Principal Investigator at the University of Sydney, said the adjuvant used has simplified the effectiveness of Radvax without any adverse reactions before clinical trials.
He said: "There are a lot of cancer vaccines, but they are either only for specific tumor types, either too complicated or too expensive. It is not realistic."
“This is a new generation of cancer vaccines, using new adjuvants to make it more targeted and enhance the immune response.
Dr. Weir said that although Radvax has only been tested in several cancers, it has proven its potential in other cancers.
The process of creating a vaccine takes about an hour to extract a tumor sample from each patient prior to surgery.
The vaccine is then injected into the patient shortly after surgery.
It targets the patient's T cells to attack residual cancer cells and prevent their return or spread.
The properties of the δ-inulin polysaccharide adjuvant of Vaxine, called Advax, make it less toxic than other metal-based adjuvants and can be effective without the addition of stimulants.
Radvax is stored in a cool 4 degrees Celsius, making it easier to deliver than many other frozen vaccines.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death, accounting for almost 20% of deaths worldwide.
According to estimates by the American Cancer Society, the number of new cancers diagnosed in the United States in 2017 is estimated at 1,688,780, of which 600,920 are cancer deaths.
Nikola Petrovsky, director of Vaxine Science at Flinders University School of Medicine, said the dog safety trial will end in the middle of next year and the company will strive to use it in human clinical trials soon.
He said that although the United States has passed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cancer vaccine, each patient costs about $100,000 and is only specific for prostate cancer.
"The price of this vaccine may be closer to a few thousand and easier to generalize," he said.
"We are far from some methods that can cure cancer, but the results show that vaccines can significantly reduce cancer growth and thus prolong survival."
“Cancer vaccines are no longer hot air or speculation, but put them in a simple form and make them really effective.â€
Vaxine, funded by the National Institutes of Health, develops polysaccharide adjuvants and plays a vital role in the development of a range of infectious diseases, allergy and cancer vaccines.
However, the company is looking for more money to help quickly track the commercialization of cancer vaccines.
Vaxine used Advax to develop the world's first swine flu vaccine during the 2009 pandemic. The vaccine is also active in other areas including Ebola, Zika, influenza, hepatitis, malaria and SARS.
Source: Noble
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