Healthcare Industry News: CLL
News Release - May 9, 2006
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Initiates Clinical Trial to Evaluate a Custom-Made Therapeutic Vaccine for the Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 9 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has initiated a clinical trial to evaluate the use of an idiotype active immunotherapy, also referred to as idiotype vaccine therapy, in patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), a type of cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow. MyVax® idiotype immunotherapy, manufactured by Genitope Corporation (Nasdaq: GTOP ), is based on the unique genetic makeup of a patient's own tumor, and is designed to activate the patient's immune system to fight cancer."This multi-center trial is designed to explore the possibility that this therapeutic approach could prove useful in treating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)," said William G. Wierda, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine in the Department of Leukemia, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is one of nine leading cancer centers that will register approximately 70 patients in a Phase I/II clinical trial to investigate an idiotype vaccine therapy for treating CLL. Men and women 18 years of age or older who have been diagnosed with CLL Rai stage 0, I and II, and who are untreated, may be eligible for the study. Eligible patients will receive a series of 16 injections of their custom-made vaccine over a 52-week period.
"This study will assess whether MyVax® idiotype immunotherapy can induce anti-tumor immune responses that can eradicate or block the progression of leukemia and ascertain the safety of this treatment in patients with CLL," said Dan W. Denney, Jr., Ph.D., chief executive officer of Genitope.
CLL is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. It is characterized by an uncontrolled accumulation of large numbers of lymphocytes in the blood, bone marrow, lymph nodes and other organs. CLL, which is currently incurable, affects approximately 70,000 patients in the United States.
For more information about the trial, patients can call Brandi O'Neal, Research Nurse, at 713-794-1518 or e-mail her at bloneal@mdanderson.org.
About Genitope Corporation
Genitope Corporation (Redwood City, Calif.) is a biotechnology company focused on the research and development of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Genitope Corporation's lead product candidate, MyVax® personalized immunotherapy, is a patient-specific active immunotherapy based on the unique genetic makeup of a patient's tumor and is designed to activate the patient's immune system to identify and attack cancer cells. For more information on the company, please log on to http://www.genitope.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements." For this purpose, any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements, including statements about the scope and potential outcome of Genitope Corporation's Phase I/II clinical trial of MyVax® personalized immunotherapy for the treatment of CLL. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause Genitope Corporation's results to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including without limitation, risks relating to the progress, timing and results of Genitope Corporation's clinical trials and other research and development activities, risks relating to the manufacturing of MyVax® personalized immunotherapy and other risks detailed in Genitope Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 filed by Genitope Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Genitope Corporation undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Source: Genitope
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