A multi-peptide, dual-adjuvant telomerase vaccine (GX301) is highly immunogenic in patients with prostate and renal cancer

Background

Anti-tumor vaccination is a new frontier in cancer treatment applicable to immunogenic neoplasms such as prostate and renal cancers. GX301 is a vaccine constituted by four telomerase peptides and two adjuvants, Montanide ISA-51 and Imiquimod.

Objective

The aim of this study was to analyze safety and tolerability of GX301 in an open-label, phase I/II trial. Immunological and clinical responses were also evaluated as secondary endpoints.

Experimental design

GX301 was administered by intradermally injecting 500 μg of each peptide (dissolved in Montanide ISA-51) in the skin of the abdomen. Imiquimod was applied as a cream at the injection sites. The protocol included 8 administrations at days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 35, 63. Eligible patients were affected with stage IV prostate or renal cancer resistant to conventional treatments. Patients were clinically and immunologically monitored up to 6 months from the first immunization.

Results

No grade 3–4 adverse events were observed. Evidence of vaccine-specific immunological responses was detected in 100 % of patients. Disease stabilization occurred in 4 patients. Prolonged progression-free survival and overall survival were observed in patients showing a full pattern of vaccine-specific immunological responses.

Conclusion

GX301 demonstrated to be safe and highly immunogenic. Further studies are needed to determine its clinical efficacy.