EGEN, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, has commenced a Phase I trial of EGEN-001, an immunotherapy agent for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer.
The study evaluates EGEN-001, in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Lipodox), for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer.
EGEN president and CSO Dr Khursheed Anwer said the trial will progress the testing of EGEN-001 with an approved second-line treatment for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
"Long-term treatment with an immune modulating agent in conjunction with cytotoxic agents is a promising approach to combatting difficult to treat cancers," Anwer said.
EGEN-001 uses the company’s TheraPlas delivery technology and is composed of interleukin-12 (IL-12) gene, formulated with a biocompatible delivery polymer.
IL-12 cytokine works by enhancing the body’s immune system against cancer and inhibiting tumor blood supply.
The immunotherapy agent is also being assessed as a single agent in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and as a combination therapy with chemotherapeutic agents subsequent to cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC therapy in colorectal cancer.
A network of researchers, led by the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) at member institutions under an agreement between the GOG and EGEN, are conducting the EGEN-sponsored trial.
Image: A pathological specimen of ovarian carcinoma. Photo: Courtesy of Jmh649.
