Robust New Technology Platforms Aid The Search For Cancer Vaccines

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines;  IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 25 Feb 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Although the cancer vaccine industry has remained historically undervalued due to its failures, optimism surrounds the industry as proponents of this technology have persistently pursued investigations to demonstrate the clinical efficacy of cancer vaccines. Cancer vaccines hold the potential to treat patients at an earlier stage of the disease, which sequentially generates therapies that will benefit the subset of population. In a metastatic disease setting, the trend would employ a cancer vaccine as an adjunct therapy with classical therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and even with emerging therapies such as targeted therapies.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Developments in Cancer Vaccine Industry, the evolution of cancer vaccine science holds claim to the most significant trend today; to a point where robust technology platforms to develop vaccines suitable for cancer exist. With many products in lead stages of clinical evaluation (phase III), the cancer vaccine product pipeline has substantially progressed from the early clinical trial stage (phase I or II) to a more mature phase.

"Among the notable innovations, Cell Genesys Inc., a biotechnology firm headquartered in South San Francisco, CA, who have currently developed a novel immunotherapeutic approach that incites remarkable optimism to yield an optimal and potent antitumor response," notes Frost & Sullivan Technical Insights Research Analyst Vanitha S.V. "The company's cancer immunotherapy platform, GVAX cancer immunotherapy, is a novel non-patient-specific, off-the-shelf, cell-based therapy consisting of one or more established tumor cell lines."

Employing whole tumor cells in the GVAX platform, one of the key benefits, offers a significant advantage of presenting the patient's immune system to a broad spectrum of multiple tumor cell components or antigens. This could potentially result in an immune response significantly broader than if obtained by presenting just one or a few tumor antigens.

Notwithstanding such innovations, the industry faces challenges related to the clinical development paradigms for cancer vaccines, which follow the pathways designed for conventional cytotoxic drugs. As cancer vaccines subside in a different class of complex biological compounds, significant distinctions do exist in their clinical activity.

"Given this, clinical trial designs and study endpoints should select as if catering to the unique characteristics of cancer vaccines," says Vanitha. "Apart from this, we must substantiate the importance of addressing the potential use of cancer vaccines to treat patients at earlier stages of disease. Hence, clinical studies will involve a subset of patient population that inhabit in a disease stage at which they can obtain maximum benefits."

As we move forward, the importance of adopting a more focused and flexible development pathway should address the unique features of cancer vaccines. Active collaborations would also play a major role as they could draw substantial investments from large pharmas toward developing and commercialization of cancer vaccine products. A single approved product in the market could well do wonders for the industry, engendering renewed hope and enthusiasm for cancer vaccine industry.

Developments in Cancer Vaccine Industry, a part of the Technical Insights Growth Partnership Services program, provides and analyzes the latest developments in the cancer vaccine field, both from a technology and industry perspective. An in-depth assessment of the therapeutic cancer vaccine industry is provided, inclusive of the technology and industry drivers, challenges and barriers that impact the growth and commercialization of the industry. The study seeks to strategically evaluate the competitive environment by providing a comprehensive insight of therapeutic cancer vaccine products and their developers. Interviews with the press are available.

Technical Insights is an international technology analysis business that produces a variety of technical news alerts, newsletters, and research services.

Frost & Sullivan, the Global Growth Consulting Company, partners with clients to accelerate their growth. The company's Growth Partnership Services, Growth Consulting and Career Best Practices empower clients to create a growth focused culture that generates, evaluates and implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 30 offices on six continents. For more information about Frost & Sullivan's Growth Partnerships, visit http://www.frost.com.