ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immune-based cancer therapies, announced the issuance of a US patent relating to a technology for the treatment of cancer for which the company holds an exclusive, worldwide license. Patent No. 7,939,090, entitled “System and method for the treatment of cancer, including cancers of the central nervous system,” covers the combination of a dendritic cell based vaccine combined either before or concurrently with chemotherapy at the recurrence of the disease. The company believes that in the treatment of cancer, particularly cancers of the central nervous system such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a dual therapeutic approach that includes the administration of a dendritic cell-based cancer vaccine combined with a regimen of chemotherapy could substantially enhance the clinical efficacy of treatment.

“System and method for the treatment of cancer, including cancers of the central nervous system”

“This patent has applicability to multiple types of cancer, including our first clinical target, glioblastoma,” said Manish Singh, Ph.D. president and CEO of ImmunoCellular Therapeutics. “ICT-107, the company’s dendritic cell based vaccine candidate for the treatment of GBM, elicits a cytotoxic tumour reactive response that in combination with chemotherapy might fundamentally alter tumours by priming their death machinery.”

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics recently announced the expansion of its phase II trial of ICT-107 from up to 15 clinical centres to 20 or more. The phase II trial of ICT-107 is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2:1 randomized study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ICT-107 in patients with newly diagnosed GBM. The study is enrolling patients at medical institutions in collaboration with well known experts and opinion leaders in neuro-oncology at those sites.

In the phase I clinical study of ICT-107 in GBM, 16 newly diagnosed patients who received the vaccine in addition to standard of care of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy demonstrated a one year overall survival of 100 per cent and a two year survival of 80 percent. The study’s median progression free(PFS) survival of 16.9 months compared favourably to the historic median PFS of 6.9 months. 10 of the 16 patients continue to survive. This compares favourably with historical 61.1 per cent one-year and 26.5 per cent two-year survival based on the standard of care alone. The data shows 6 out of the 16 (37.6%) newly diagnosed patients who received ICT-107 continue to show no tumour recurrence, with 3 of these patients (18.8%) remaining disease-free for almost four years while the other 3 patients have gone more than 2 and a half years disease-free. No treatment related serious adverse events have been observed to date.

IMUC is a Los Angeles-based clinical-stage company that is developing immune-based therapies for the treatment of brain and other cancers.