MONDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- In newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma multiforme, treatment with CDX-110 -- an epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII)-specific peptide vaccine -- in combination with standard of care temozolomide induces an immune response and prolongs time to progression, according to research presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

John H. Sampson, M.D., of the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and colleagues studied 21 patients with EGFRvIII-positive cancer who received CDX-110 with simultaneous standard or continuous temozolomide.

The researchers found that all 21 patients experienced a strong, sustained immune response to EGFRvIII with a median progression-free survival of 16.6 months. Compared to a matched historical group and a subgroup treated with temozolomide, they found that the combination-therapy group had improved survival similar to that of patients vaccinated without simultaneous temozolomide.

"CDX-110 peptide vaccination with standard of care temozolomide in patients with glioblastoma multiforme appears very promising, and is under investigation in a phase III, randomized clinical trial," the authors conclude.

Celldex Therapeutics financial disclosures were reported for this study.

Abstract