Talimogene laherparepvec (T-vec) – improved immunotherapy?

[EvaSara]

Talimogene laherparepvec, abbrevation T-vec, is an oncolytic virus that has been developed as a melanoma therapy. I have read what I can find about it and wikipedia seems to have correct and updated information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talimogene_laherparepvec

The patient must have metastases (skin or lymph nodes) that can be injected in order to get the therapy.

The reported response rate was 16% (including stage III and IV) and side effects were minimal compared to other immunotherapy.

What I find even more interesting is the possible combination with other immunotherapies. A very small pilot study has been reported for the combination with Ipi with response rate 56% (stage III and IV) and no observed added side effects from the combination. The theory is that T-vec primes the immune system to attack melanoma cells specifically. This was a very small study and more studies are going on, including combination with PD-1.

Here is a presentation, slides 11-16:

http://www.primeoncology.org/online_education/solid_tumor/2014/paris-melanoma-webcast/~/media/Files/slides/2014/paris_melanoma_webcast/10%20Weber%20Paris%20Melanoma.ashx

There are expanded access programs for T-vec in USA and Europe, but I have not seen any discussion about it on this board and I don’t know how well known it is. If it works, it is great news and I want to share this. It would be very interesting if someone has more information.

[PhillyRed]

For those interested in the oncolytic virus approach in fighting melanoma, in addition to T-vec, there is another oncolytic virus, HF10, which is being combined with ipi (Yervoy) in a new Phase II study in melanoma, which is just opening at several clinical trial sites throughout the country.

[Catherine Poole]

And Tvec’s promise lies in combination with other therapies as well. It is an intralesional therapy I think we discussed here before. So currently you need lesions that are subcutaneous to directly inject into. And there are some interesting other ones as Philly Red suggested. I will look for the link for that trial she mentions.

[jawillett@comcast.net]

Thank you for sharing the presentation on the various combinations of meds now in trial..I was happy to see the ipi/bevacizumab combo listed as this is the trial my husband started in Oct. So far very few side effects from either drug and he has his 4th infusion next week…just hope it is working but won’t know until scans in Jan. Will update the forum when we have those results. Have not met anyone else on the forum who is in that trial. It is a Phase II trial.

[Catherine Poole]

Here’s the link to the trial combining IPI with HF10. You must NOT have prior IPI.

Here it is: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02272855?term=HF10&rank=2

[Author]

Posts