Antigenics vaccine shows promise in brain cancer

By Toni Clarke

BOSTON (Reuters) - An Antigenics Inc. cancer vaccine, Oncophage, which failed last year to stave off the recurrence of kidney cancer in a late-stage clinical trial, continues to show promise as a treatment for brain cancer, researchers said on Monday.

Antigenics, whose shares rose 35 percent in morning trade, said data from a trial of 12 patients with glioblastoma, or late-stage brain cancer, showed the vaccine boosted the immune systems of all 12 patients and appears to be helping improve survival.

While the trial is extremely small, it is potentially significant because no cancer therapy has been shown to consistently boost the body's immune system in such a way that it can become a primary weapon in attacking the disease.

"This immune response is really unprecedented," said Dr. Andrew Parsa, assistant professor of neurological surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, and lead investigator on the trial.

The data are to be presented on Monday at the annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

Parsa, who receives no funding or compensation from Antigenics, said late-stage brain cancer patients on average survive only 6.5 months once their cancer has recurred after surgery. Patients in the trial are surviving on average at least four months longer than the historical norm, he said.

"I believe this vaccine is going to have an impact on patient survival in the right situation," Parsa said.

Shares of Antigenics, which traded as high as $17 about five years ago, rose $1.29 to $4.96 in morning trade on the Nasdaq.