Advaxis, Inc., , the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) immunotherapy company and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine have signed a veterinary clinical research study contract to treat osteosarcoma in companion dogs using Advaxis' technology. The studies will be led by Assistant Professor Dr Nicola Mason.

The study, slated to commence in 2010, augments Advaxis' veterinary programme and which currently includes the previously announced cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to study Listeria constructs in cattle.

"This research into companion animals could prove extremely important to our overall business," commented Advaxis chairman/CEO Thomas A Moore. "We have had extensive positive results using ADXS31-164 in breast and brain cancer animal studies and are quite enthusiastic with its potential use with canine and human adolescent osteosarcoma. Our scientists are greatly broadening the potential use of our Listeria immunotherapeutic platform."

Canine osteosarcoma is a leading cause of mortality in dogs, especially larger dogs, with an incidence of approximately 10,000 deaths annually. While chemotherapy, surgery and radiation prolong life, the recurrence is usually in one year or less. The proposed study of canine osteosarcoma above will use HER-2/neu constructs to treat bone cancer. HER-2/neu is a well known tumour antigen in a variety of human and animal cancers. The study will build support for a human programme, as osteosarcoma in dogs is closely related to osteosarcoma in human adolescents. HER-2/neu is present in 40% of canine osteosarcoma and in many human tumors including breast and brain cancers. HER-2/neu is also associated with human osteosarcoma, a condition that resembles canine osteosarcoma. In humans, the disease is typically found in adolescents and is associated with high mortality.

Dr Nicola J Mason's laboratory focuses on the bench to bedside development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies to augment cytotoxic T-cell responses against common cancers in domestic dogs. Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of novel therapeutic approaches used to treat privately owned dogs with advanced cancers aims to provide important pre-clinical data for human cancer patients as well as develop novel therapies for canine cancer patients. Recent sequencing of the canine genome has revealed a close phylogenetic relationship between man and dog and both species spontaneously develop cancers that have similar biological, behavioural and genetic characteristics.

Advaxis is a biotechnology company developing proprietary, live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) vaccines that deliver engineered tumour antigens, which stimulate multiple, simultaneous immunological mechanisms to fight cancer.