BioCentury
ARTICLE | Distillery Therapeutics

Cancer

August 29, 2018 5:53 PM UTC

Mouse studies suggest a vaccine based on a nanoparticle-HpV16gp2 peptide conjugate could help treat human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers. The conjugate consists of nanoparticles with a polypropylene sulfide core and HpV16gp2 peptides linked to their surfaces via disulfide bonds. In a mouse model of HPV-positive cervical cancer, vaccination with the conjugate decreased tumor size and increased tumor levels of infiltrating CD8+ T cells and survival compared with the free HpV16gp2 peptide. In a mouse model of lung-metastatic, HPV-positive cervical cancer and an orthotopic mouse model of HPV-positive cervical cancer, the conjugate increased tumor levels of CD8+ T cells and survival. In a mouse model of HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma, the conjugate vaccine decreased tumor size and increased tumor levels of CD8+ T cell infiltrates. Also in the first cervical cancer model, the conjugate plus an anti-4-1BB mAb decreased tumor size and increased survival compared with the conjugate alone. Next steps could include testing the combination of the conjugate and the anti-4-1BB mAb in models of other HPV-related cancers.

Advaxis Inc., AstraZeneca plc and Biocon Ltd. have axalimogene filolisbac, a live Listeria monocytogenes-based immunotherapy expressing HpV16gp2, in registration for cervical cancer and Phase II testing for head and neck cancer. Advaxis and Biocon also have the product in Phase II testing for colorectal cancer...