title: Perspectives on the development of a therapeutic HER-2 cancer vaccine.
abstract: With good reason, the majority of cancer vaccines tested, or being tested, have targeted the induction of anti-tumour CTL responses. However, the clinical success of monoclonal antibodies such as Rituximab/CD20, Trastuzumab/HER-2, Cetuximab/EGFR and Bevacisumab/VEGF suggests that their respective targets may also be relevant for cancer vaccines aiming at the induction of an effective humoral anti-tumour response to mimic, or potentially improve upon, the effects of monoclonal therapies. We report here an overview of the development of a protein vaccine targeting HER-2/neu, with an emphasis on the immunologic results obtained from the testing of the vaccine in animal models of disease and in toxicology programs, to its evaluation in three clinical trials in breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Pharmexa A/S, Kogle Allé 6, DK-2970 Hørsholm, Denmark. vr@pharmexa.com
authors.forename: Valéry
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Renard
authors.forename: Dana R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Leach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases