Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANIX) has welcomed a significant milestone in the fight against breast cancer, with partner Cleveland Clinic launching a treatment arm for the Phase 1 dose escalation trial of Anixa’s breast cancer vaccine. The new arm evaluates the power of the vaccine used in combination with Keytruda® (pembrolizumab), with the intention of strengthening the immune response and leading to better outcomes. This step brings Anixa’s efforts one step closer to realizing the dream of saving lives with their innovative approach to cancer treatment.
Anixa’s revolutionary breast cancer vaccine is setting a new standard for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer (“TNBC”), for which Keytruda, a popular therapy marketed by Merck (NYSE: MRK), has been approved. Anixa’s vaccine is designed to create specialized T cells that directly target TNBC, making it an attractive option for both high-risk early-stage and advanced TNBC patients.
Keytruda is an immunotherapy that overcomes the tricks cancer cells like Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) play on the body’s immune system. The cancer cells are able to evade destruction by cytotoxic T cells, by blocking the body’s essential checkpoint receptors, such as Programmed Cell Death Protein-1 (PD-1), with proteins that bind to them. To counter this, Keytruda is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the cancer cells from being able to turn off the T cells by shielding the PD-1 receptors and reactivates the body’s natural defenses against cancer.
Dr. Amit Kumar, Chairman and CEO of Anixa, is thrilled by the granting of U.S. Department of Defense funding to add a new arm to a trial of their breast cancer vaccine. In both preclinical and clinical studies, Cleveland Clinic has found that this vaccine induces an immune response, which may include the development of T cells targeting triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Furthermore, when combined with Keytruda, a medication generally known to maintain T cell activity, this vaccine could provide a potent therapeutic effect. The updated data from this trial will be presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) in December, and Anixa looks forward to seeing the outcomes of this groundbreaking research.
About Anixa’s Breast Cancer Vaccine Clinical Trial
Women who have been successfully treated for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) within the past three years play an instrumental role in the testing of the vaccine’s safety in the Phase 1a study. Amid being tumor-free and having completed standard of care, these women are in a unique position to assist in establishing the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of the vaccine and to provide insight into its immunological efficacy. Their contribution implies a high-stakes effort to reduce the risk of recurrence and a newfound hope for better healthcare in the near future.
About Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
One in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with an invasive breast cancer at some point in their lives, but triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for a disproportionately higher percentage of breast cancer deaths and has a higher rate of recurrence. African-American women are twice as likely to suffer from TNBC, and 70% to 80% of breast tumors in women with mutations in the BRCA1 genes are triple-negative. No matter which group you belong to, it is undeniable that breast cancer is a serious risk to be aware of and prepares for.
About Anixa Bioscience’s Breast Cancer Vaccine
Anixa Biosciences has developed a groundbreaking breast cancer vaccine utilizing a protein called α-lactalbumin that is only found in triple-negative breast cancer cells. This protein is a breast-specific lactation protein that is no longer present in normal, aging tissues but becomes active again in breast cancer cells.
The vaccine harnesses the body’s own immune system to mount a protective response to prevent those emerging tumors from growing, and has been exclusively licensed from the late Dr. Vincent Tuohy’s department of Inflammation and Immunity at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. Currently, a Phase 1 clinical trial is being funded by the US Department of Defense and conducted at Cleveland Clinic, with Dr. Tuohy’s own commercialization and equity revenues from Anixa playing a key role.
About Anixa Biosciences, Inc.
Discover how Anixa, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, is revolutionizing cancer treatment and prevention! Anixa’s therapeutic portfolio includes a groundbreaking ovarian cancer immunotherapy program utilizing the novel CAR-T technique of CER-T technology in collaboration with Moffitt Cancer Center.
Additionally, the Company has a vaccine program developing vaccines to prevent both triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and ovarian cancer with their partner, Cleveland Clinic. Anixa’s cutting-edge research is fueled by their unique business model of partnering with acclaimed research institutions – setting them up for success in their pursuit of the latest and most promising advances in cancer treatment. Unlock the potential of a future without cancer and discover Anixa today!
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