BN ImmunoTherapeutics Starts Clinical Trials with Prostate Cancer Vaccine

BN ImmunoTherapeutics, Inc. (Mountain View, CA), has initiated Phase 1/2 clinical studies with its therapeutic vaccine candidate against prostate cancer.

A Phase 1/2 safety and tolerability study in 18 male patients with nonmetastatic as well as hormone-insensitive prostate cancer has begun enrollment in the US. Secondary objectives of the trial include examining the ability of the vaccine to induce prostate antigen-specific immune responses, as well as clinical anti-tumor activity. Preliminary data is expected during the second half of 2009.

The therapeutic vaccine, based on the company's MVA-BN(R) technology, is designed to generate cellular and humoral immune responses to prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), which are both well-known prostate cancer tumor targets.