Allovectin-7 gene therapy data

VICL and Canadian university collaborators presented results of an investigator-designed Phase I/II study in patients with advanced melanoma. Allovectin-7 contains a gene encoding a mismatched transplantation antigen, HLA-B7, which when injected into tumors causes the malignant cells to express the foreign antigen on their surface. That, in turn, is designed to stimulate an immune response.

Patients received six successive weekly doses of 10 µg each, the lowest dose used in any of VICL's own trials. As reported at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Washington, 3 of 7 patients had >50 percent reductions in tumor size of either injected or uninjected tumor lesions. The treatment was well tolerated. ...