A trial looking at IMA950 vaccine and GM-CSF for glioblastoma

Hi, This is a phase 1 drug trial in the UK. Does anyone have any info about this? My Dad is considering it. Thanks Gemma

It's being run in both the UK, and the USA.  In the UK it is for newly diagnosed patients and is given concurrent with TMZ.  In the US it is being run for patients that have already completed adjuvant TMZ treatment.

I'm on it - what do you want to know?

Here are the initial results from the UK:

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/science/groups/cr_common/@fr

Hi, Thanks for your message. I don't know anything about it so trying to get info to see if my dad should join the trial. What do you think? I looked at the results so far and they seem positive. Are you in the US trial? I guess questions are Side affects? Is it working? Anything you know that may be relevant to make our decision?! Thanks Gemma

On Jan 17, 2013 6:18 PM Gstaton wrote:

Hi, Thanks for your message. I don't know anything about it so trying to get info to see if my dad should join the trial. What do you think? I looked at the results so far and they seem positive. Are you in the US trial? I guess questions are Side affects? Is it working? Anything you know that may be relevant to make our decision?! Thanks Gemma

Gemma,

Has your father already started treatment?

Yes - I am on the US trial.

Side effects? - slight redness at the injection site, and the injection itself hurts a fair bit.  No other effects although I was warned there could be 'flu-like symptoms' - I've not experienced them yet.

Is it working? - Well, I'm still alive!  Too soon to make conclusions

Other considerations? - I'm a fan of clinical trials (others are not).  The prognosis of this disease is pretty poor, so I figured "what is there to lose" 

Nikos

Thanks for getting back to me. How long along since your diagnosis?? Am I right in thinking the drug boosts your immune system to right the cancerous cells? We are due to start treatment in 3 weeks so need to make a decision this weekend. But same feeling as you, nothing to lose. Is yours a recurring tumour? Gemma

On Jan 17, 2013 8:46 PM Gstaton wrote:

Thanks for getting back to me. How long along since your diagnosis?? Am I right in thinking the drug boosts your immune system to right the cancerous cells? We are due to start treatment in 3 weeks so need to make a decision this weekend. But same feeling as you, nothing to lose. Is yours a recurring tumour? Gemma

I'm coming up to 22 months since I originally presented with symptoms (brain haemorrhage because of the GBM).  Thanks to God, I'm doing great - still work full time, etc.

I've not suffered recurrance (yet).

The drug 'trains' your T-lymphocytes (part of your immune system) to recognise the peptide "signature" of a GBM tumour.  

The same company, has had pretty good results with IMA901, which is a vaccine for renal cell cancer and has received FDA approval (as an orphan drug).

Has he been tested for HLA-A*02 status yet?

No we need a blood test to check that otherwise he meets the criteria. I read 50% of population have it in there blood so fingers crossed. So what treatment have you had? My dad had a brain haemorrhage too which we then discovered was the tumour. Gemma

Yes, 51% of those tested for the study have the right HLA marker.

I have the standard 60 Gy of radiation with low-dose TMZ over 33 days (my NO did add Celebrex and a few other things), then did twelve months of adjuvant TMZ, along with Accutane.

Thanks for the info. Sorry a few more questions - what is Celebrex and the other things he added? Accutane? - what does adjuvant mean? At what point did you add the IMA950 vaccine? Sorry for all the questions Thanks Gemma