CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE MKT: CVM) today announced that the University
of Minnesota’s Masonic Cancer Center has becomes the 7th clinical
site in the U.S. to join its Phase III head and neck cancer clinical
trial of its investigational cancer immunotherapy treatment Multikine*
(Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection).
CEL-SCI's study is currently being conducted at about 60 active clinical
centers on three continents and is expected to expand from 17 countries
to a 20 countries with an estimated 880 patients to be enrolled by the
end of 2015. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology,
head and neck cancers account for about 3% to 5% of all cancers in the
United States.
The Masonic Cancer Center creates a collaborative research environment
focused on the causes, prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer;
applying that knowledge to improve quality of life for patients and
survivors; and sharing its discoveries with other scientists, students,
professionals, and the community. It is one of only 41 institutions in
the U.S. to become a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive
cancer center. With more than 500 faculty and staff members, the Masonic
Cancer Center is home to some of the world's top cancer researchers.
The Principal Investigator of CEL-SCI’s Phase III study at this site is Dr.
Gautam Jha, Assistant Professor and Medical Oncologist, at the
University of Minnesota’s Medical School. Dr. Jha’s interests focus on
solid tumor oncology including genito-urinary malignancies and head and
neck tumors. His research interests include developing immune-based
therapies by disrupting Treg mediated immune suppression in patients
with cancers of prostate and head and neck. He is a member of the
American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical
Oncology, the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Society
of Immunotherapy of Cancer.
"Dr. Jha’s research interests and expertise in immunotherapies for the
treatment of head and neck cancer is an asset for our study, as well as
for the patients to be enrolled and treated at the Masonic Cancer
Center,” stated CEL-SCI Chief Executive Officer Geert Kersten. “We are
pleased to see more top-notch cancer centers joining our clinical trial.”
About Multikine Phase III Study
The Multikine Phase III study is enrolling patients with advanced
primary, not yet treated, head and neck cancer. The objective of the
study is to demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in
overall survival of enrolled patients who are treated with the Multikine
treatment regimen plus Standard of Care (SOC) vs. subjects who are
treated with SOC only.
About Multikine
Multikine* (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) is an investigational
immunotherapeutic agent that is being tested in a randomized,
controlled, global pivotal Phase III clinical trial as a potential
first-line treatment for advanced primary head and neck cancer. If
approved for use following completion of CEL-SCI's clinical development
program for head and neck cancer, Multikine would be a different type of
therapy in the fight against cancer; one that appears to have the
potential to work with the body's natural immune system in the fight
against tumors. CEL-SCI is aiming to complete enrollment of subjects to
the Phase III head and neck cancer study by the end of 2015. The trial
is expected to expand into a total of approximately 100 clinical centers
in about 20 countries.
In October 2013, CEL-SCI announced that it had signed a CRADA
(Cooperative Research and Development Agreement) with the U.S. Naval
Medical Center, San Diego, to develop Multikine as a potential treatment
for HIV/HPV co-infected men and women with peri-anal warts. CEL-SCI also
announced that it entered into two new co-development agreements with
Ergomed to further clinically develop Multikine for cervical
dysplasia/neoplasia in women who are co-infected with HIV and HPV and
for peri-anal warts in men and women who are co-infected with HIV and
HPV.
About CEL-SCI Corporation
CEL-SCI’s work is focused on finding the best way to activate the immune
system to fight cancer and infectious diseases. Its lead investigational
therapy Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) is currently being
studied in a pivotal Phase III clinical trial against head and neck
cancer. If the study endpoint, which is a 10% improvement in overall
survival of the subjects treated with Multikine treatment regimen as
compared to subjects treated with current standard of care only is
satisfied, the study results will be used to support applications which
will be submitted to regulatory agencies in order to request from these
agencies commercial marketing approvals for Multikine in major markets
around the world. Additional clinical indications for Multikine which
are being investigated include cervical dysplasia in HIV/HPV co-infected
women, and the treatment of peri-anal warts in HIV/HPV co-infected men
and women. A Phase I trial of the former indication has been completed
at the University of Maryland. The latter indication is now in a Phase I
trial in conjunction with the U.S. Navy under a CRADA (Cooperative
Research and Development Agreement).
CEL-SCI is also developing its LEAPS technology for the treatment of
pandemic influenza and as a potential therapeutic vaccine against
rheumatoid arthritis. The Company has recently received a Phase I SBIR
Grant from the NIH to develop LEAPS as a potential treatment for RA with
Rush University researchers. The Company has operations in Vienna,
Virginia, and in/near Baltimore, Maryland.
For more information, please visit www.cel-sci.com.
* Multikine is the trademark that CEL-SCI has registered for this
investigational therapy, and this proprietary name is subject to FDA
review in connection with our future anticipated regulatory submission
for approval. Multikine has not been licensed or approved for
sale, barter or exchange by the FDA or any other regulatory
agency. Similarly, its safety or efficacy has not been established for
any use. Moreover, no definitive conclusions can be drawn from the
early-phase, clinical-trials data involving the investigational therapy
Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection). Further research is
required, and early-phase clinical trial results must be confirmed in
the well-controlled, Phase III clinical trial of this investigational
therapy that is currently in progress.
When used in this press release, the words "intends," "believes,"
"anticipated," “plans” and "expects" and similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to
differ materially from those projected. Factors that could cause or
contribute to such differences include, an inability to duplicate the
clinical results demonstrated in clinical studies, timely development of
any potential products that can be shown to be safe and effective,
receiving necessary regulatory approvals, difficulties in manufacturing
any of the Company's potential products, inability to raise the
necessary capital and the risk factors set forth from time to time in
CEL-SCI Corporation's SEC filings, including but not limited to its
report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2013. The Company
undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revision
to these forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect the
events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events.
Copyright Business Wire 2014