Anti-gonadotropin releasing hormone vaccines and their potential use in the treatment of hormone-responsive cancers.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its analogues have been used clinically to treat a range of hormone-dependent conditions. It is often necessary for large, toxic and expensive drug doses to be administered. Improvements in drug delivery have necessitated new developments in formulation, but these in turn can induce new adverse effects. Immunological neutralisation of GnRH has been examined as a less toxic and cheaper replacement therapy, and has been studied closely in different animal species. However, only a few clinical trials have been carried out with respect to hormone-dependent cancers. Based on clinical trials of the free peptide drug in cancer patients, it would appear that there is an increasing trend towards using GnRH and its analogues in adjuvant therapy and that antibody-based GnRH neutralisation will have a role in this treatment regimen.
Ferro
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Department of Immunology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. v.a.ferro@strath.ac.uk
Stimson
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