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GeoVax Announces Phase 2 Plans for Gedeptin® Cancer Therapy Following Clinical Advisory Committee Review
Company plans Phase 2 trial in first-recurrence head & neck cancer, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor ATLANTA, GA, July 31, 2024 (GLOBE
About this update from Geovax Labs, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Company plans Phase 2 trial in first-recurrence head & neck cancer, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor ATLANTA, GA, July 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immunotherapies and vaccines against cancer and infectious diseases, today announced the next steps for the clinical development of its Gedeptin® cancer therapy, following a clinical advisory committee review. GeoVax and a specially convened clinical advisory committee have completed a comprehensive review of the recently completed PNP-002 Phase 1b/2a trial, together with the previously completed PNP-001 Phase 1 trial. The Phase 1b/2a trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of repeat cycles of Gedeptin therapy in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with tumor(s) accessible for injection and no curable treatment options. The protocol assessed up to five treatment cycles, each consisting of three intratumoral injections of Gedeptin over two days followed by infusion of a prodrug, fludarabine phosphate, once a day for three days. This review concluded that Gedeptin demonstrated acceptable safety and efficacy to support continued development. No new safety signals were identified in the PNP-002 trial in heavily pretreated head & neck cancer patients. The therapy demonstrated sufficient tumor stabilization/reduction activity to support plans to advance clinical development of Gedeptin in an expanded Phase 2 clinical trial. The primary goal of the planned Phase 2 trial will be to establish efficacy of neoadjuvant Gedeptin therapy combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor in first-recurrence squamous cell head and neck cancer. This trial is anticipated to be a single cycle trial with surgery to follow in approximately 6 patients with pathologic response rate as the primary endpoint. The Company has initiated the necessary planning activities, including protocol development, manufacturing, and CRO selection with the trial activation anticipated during the first half of 2025. “Based on the review of the two clinical trials completed with Gedeptin, we believe that this therapy, combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, has the potential to represent an active therapy against solid tumors. As such, in alignment with the Gedeptin clinical advisory committee,...