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Korean Pharmaceutical Company closer to finalizing development of World’s First Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine ‘GV1001’
Phase III Clinical Trial 70% complete, receives positive reviews from Data Monitoring Committee on interim report
On June 23rd, Korean biopharmaceutical company KAEL-GemVax Co., Ltd. received the interim report on the vaccine ‘GV1001’ from University of Liverpool, England. KAEL-GemVax is currently conducting clinical trials for the first international telomerase pancreatic cancer vaccine in University of Liverpool. Interim report is an analytical data report filed when the clinical trial reaches a specific number of deceased patients. This data is analyzed by an independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC). Because the interim report provides the most accurate status of the clinical trial, it is used as a yardstick to measure how well the clinical trial is progressing.
Numerous international pharmaceutical companies have had the clinical trials put on hold or shut down based on the results of the interim report.
The GV1001 phase III clinical trial has received positive reviews for the first interim report and for the second report on May 26th 2010. According to the report, the Telovac clinical trial is progressing without any complications, has already reached 70% of the targeted 1110 patients (755 patients), and is expected to end in October 2011. International pharmaceutical companies are now paying closer attention to the Korean company’s global novel vaccine. The world renown professional research company Datamonitor praised KAEL-GemVax’s therapeutic cancer vaccine GV1001, emphasizing it as the only pancreatic cancer currently in phase III of clinical trial. Oncology Business Review also expressed its interest and expectations towards GV1001 by publishing an article across the January and March of 2010 issue.
The prognosis of pancreatic cancer is unpredictable and though there might be less cases compared to other cancers, it is one of the top causes of death due to cancer along with liver, lung and stomach cancer. However, currently there is no effective pancreatic cancer treatment, which is why ‘GV1001’ deserves much attention.
‘GV1001’ is not limited to pancreatic cancer but has also provided good clinical trial results in lung and liver cancer, which are the cancers that cause the most death in Korea (National Statistical Office, Republic of Korea 2008). Also, ‘GV1001’ has completed its clinical trial phase I/II against melanoma.
KAEL-GemVax’s outstanding clinical trial results, along with encouraging interim reports, have opened doors to many more opportunities in the market, and have brought us a step closer to fulfilling our dream of improving human life.
**Telomerase is an enzyme that protects the ends of the telomere by preventing the shortening of the ends. In normal cells telomerase activity is rare, but in cancerous cells telomerase activity has been detected in 80-90% of the cells. Last year, the researchers who discovered this activity of telomerase have been awarded the Nobel Prize. |
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