GeoVax Reports Clinical Trial Results for Gedeptin in Recurrent Head and Neck Cancers
TL;DR
GeoVax's Gedeptin therapy offers a potential edge in treating recurrent head and neck cancers with its repeat-dosing feasibility and tumor-agnostic mechanism for broader application.
Gedeptin uses an adenoviral vector to deliver the PNP gene into tumors, converting systemic fludarabine into a cytotoxic metabolite that kills cancer cells locally.
This therapy provides hope for patients with end-stage head and neck cancer by demonstrating disease stability and a favorable safety profile when other treatments have failed.
Gedeptin's bystander effect allows it to kill neighboring cancer cells even when only a small fraction of the tumor is directly treated.
Found this article helpful?
Share it with your network and spread the knowledge!
GeoVax Labs, Inc. announced the publication of a peer-reviewed article in JCO Oncology Advances reporting findings from a multi-center clinical trial evaluating repeated cycles of Gedeptin® in patients with recurrent head and neck cancers. The Phase 1/2 trial enrolled patients who had exhausted all standard treatment options and had undergone a median of four prior lines of systemic therapy. Key results from the publication include an acceptable safety profile with no new safety signals, where serious adverse events were uncommon and generally unrelated to treatment. Three of eight patients in this cohort of patients with end-stage disease achieved stable disease, representing 37.5% of participants. Tumor biopsies confirmed uptake and expression of the therapeutic E. coli PNP transgene in all evaluable patients, supporting the mechanistic foundation of the Gedeptin platform.
J. Marc Pipas, MD, Executive Medical Director, Oncology of GeoVax, stated that the publication reinforces the strong scientific rationale underpinning the Gedeptin platform. He noted that even in a highly refractory patient population with extensive prior treatment, repeated intratumoral dosing of Gedeptin demonstrated a favorable safety profile and evidence of disease stability. Kelly T. McKee, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer of GeoVax, added that these results support the continued development of Gedeptin in settings where tumor burden is lower, patients are less heavily pretreated, or where combination strategies, particularly with immune checkpoint inhibitors, may amplify therapeutic benefit. This aligns with the company's strategy to advance Gedeptin into neoadjuvant studies for surgically resectable recurrent head and neck cancers.
Study results suggest that earlier intervention, higher vector dosing, improved tumor transduction, or combination therapy may further increase efficacy. Preclinical findings cited in the manuscript show that Gedeptin-mediated tumor destruction may sensitize tumors to checkpoint inhibitors, offering a promising path forward. Gedeptin is a non-replicating adenoviral vector delivering the E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase gene directly into tumor tissue, with key characteristics including a tumor-agnostic mechanism of action, strong bystander effect, and immune-sensitizing properties that may improve responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors. David Dodd, Chairman & CEO of GeoVax, stated that the publication in the ASCO journal underscores both the scientific significance of this trial and the need for new approaches to treat recurrent head and neck cancers. He noted that Gedeptin's targeted mechanism, combined with its repeat-dosing feasibility, offers a promising therapeutic option for patients. For more information about clinical trials and other updates, visit the company website at https://www.geovax.com.
Curated from NewMediaWire
