Neuvenge active in refractory HER2+ breast ca

SAN FRANCISCO—Lapuleucel-T (Neuvenge, Dendreon Corporation), an autologous active cellular immunotherapy designed to stimulate cellular immune responses against HER2/neu, proved feasible and well tolerated with evidence of anticancer activity in a phase I trial. The study included 19 patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer who had failed standard therapy, including prior chemotherapy and treatment with trastuzumab (Herceptin).

Lead author John W. Park, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, and his colleagues at UCSF and Dendreon, reported the results in the August 20 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology (25:3680-3687, 2007).

"Significant cellular immune responses specific for the immunizing antigen and HER2 sequences were induced after treatment," Dr. Park reported. Evidence of anticancer activity was seen in 22% of patients, including one patient who had a partial response lasting 6 months and three who had stable disease for more than a year without any other cancer therapy other than bisphosphonates. Two additional patients had stable disease for up to 20 weeks.