LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute presented groundbreaking new data on “Clinical Activity, Safety and Biomarkers of MPDL3280A, an Engineered PD-L1 Antibody in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma” at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2013 Annual Meeting convening in Chicago this week (Abstract #9010). The oral presentation was made by Omid Hamid, M.D., Director of the Melanoma Program and Head of Clinical Research at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute.
Anti-PDL1 antibody MPDL3280A is an antibody that targets and blocks the function of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) to unleash the body’s immune system. PDL-1 protein frequently is over expressed on the surface of cancer cells that acts as a disguise, allowing cancer cells to hide from the immune system. When MPDL3280A attaches to the PD-L1 protein, the cancer can no longer hide from the patient’s immune system, allowing the body’s T-cells to fight the cancer. MPDL3280A was specifically engineered for enhanced safety and efficacy compared to earlier PD-L1 or PD-1 targeted agents.
“This is a very promising development in the treatment of extremely difficult-to-treat tumors such as metastic melanoma,” Dr. Hamid continued. “This drug is part of an exciting new generation of drugs that releases the power of a patient’s own the immune system to attack the cancer and has the potential to be used in almost every tumor type. Several early stage studies of MPDL3280A in various cancer types were presented at the meeting, including data on potential biomarkers that can identify patients more apt to respond to this type of therapy.”
“The findings go beyond just melanoma,” said Lawrence D. Piro, M.D., President and CEO of The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute. “At ASCO, data was presented on MPDL3280A’s efficacy in lung cancer and renal cell carcinoma as well as other solid tumors. MPDL3280A has significant anti-tumor activity and is well tolerated. The Angeles Clinic is now accruing to the next wave of immunologic clinical trials, those with combination therapy,” he noted, adding that Dr. Hamid presented early data on the promising combination of MPDL3280A with Vemurafenib, an FDA approved drug for patients with melanoma that targets the BRAF mutation (NCT01656642). (For more information, please visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01656642)
Dr. Hamid further explained that mM is an immunotherapy responsive disease where PD-L1 overexpression is prevalent. In the study, MPDL3280A was administered intravenously every 3 weeks to patients with metastatic tumor types including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. Responses were assessed with computed tomography scans every 6 weeks for 6 months and then every 12 weeks.
In all, 29 of 140 evaluable patients (21%) exhibited tumor shrinkage according to RECIST criteria, with the highest overall responses in patients with NSCLC and melanoma. (More at http://www.onclive.com/conference-coverage/asco-2013/Early-Results-Robust-for-New-PD-L1-Immunotherapy-Agent#sthash.urRBRfeV.pdf)
It is still unclear how PD-L1 expression affects response to MPDL3280A. Using an investigational diagnostic test, researchers analyzed archived tumor tissue from 103 patients and found that tumor shrinkage occurred in 36 percent of patients with PD-L1 positive tumors and, surprisingly, also in 13 percent of patients with PD-L1 negative tumors.
About The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
“The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute’s mission is to advance cancer care through groundbreaking research and delivering innovative therapeutic options to all of our cancer patients. As a result of our break-through work, we currently are involved in clinical trials for multiple immune-checkpoint inhibitors,” Dr. Piro noted. “Moreover, we have an international reputation for our expertise in the development of new cancer therapies, providing the best in experimental and traditional treatments, and expertly guiding and training the next generation of clinicians.”
Known nationally for excellence in cancer treatment, research and education, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute has established an international reputation for developing paradigm-shifting cancer therapies. The Melanoma and Immunotherapy program, led by Dr. Omid Hamid, is recognized internationally and nationally as a leader in immuno-therapeutics. The Angeles Clinic has been instrumental in the development of checkpoint blockade inhibitors including PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and anti-CTLA4 therapy (Ipilimumab). Its board-certified fellowship-trained medical oncologists, surgeons, immunotherapists, pathologists and dermatologists work closely together to advance cancer care.
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