Peregrine Pharmaceuticals' Tarvacin Shows Promising Results in Treating Breast Cancer

Research published in the May 15, 2005, issue of Cancer Research demonstrated that a monoclonal antibody, Tarvacin, in combination with docetaxel significantly inhibited human breast cancer growth in mouse models. The study found that the combination therapy resulted in a 93% inhibition of tumor growth, compared to 50% and 70% for Tarvacin and docetaxel as single agents, respectively. Furthermore, treatment with Tarvacin and docetaxel reduced lung colonization by 93% and 78%, respectively, and half of the animals did not develop tumors at all.

Key Takeaways:

Tarvacin, a chimeric monoclonal antibody, binds to phosphatidylserine on tumor blood vessels, inhibiting tumor growth and development.
The combination of Tarvacin and docetaxel resulted in a 93% inhibition of human breast cancer growth in mouse models.
Treatment with Tarvacin and docetaxel reduced lung colonization by 93% and 78%, respectively, and half of the animals did not develop tumors at all.
Tarvacin is part of Peregrine Pharmaceutical's Anti-Phospholipid Therapy platform, which targets tumor blood vessels to inhibit tumor growth and development.
Patient enrollment in a Tarvacin phase I clinical trial for the treatment of all solid tumors, including breast cancer, is expected to commence shortly at three clinical sites.
Dr. Xianming Huang, the lead author of the report, stated that Tarvacin holds promise to be a therapeutic agent that can significantly improve current breast cancer therapy.
Docetaxel is the most important cytotoxic drug currently available for breast cancer, but its maximum dose is limited by its toxicity, leaving a pressing need for combination therapies that improve its efficacy.
Further preclinical studies are ongoing at UT Southwestern to study the potential of Tarvacin in the treatment of drug-resistant breast cancer and breast cancer metastasis.

Statistics:

93% inhibition of human breast cancer growth in mouse models using the combination of Tarvacin and docetaxel.
50% inhibition of human breast cancer growth in mouse models using Tarvacin as a single agent.
70% inhibition of human breast cancer growth in mouse models using docetaxel as a single agent.
93% reduction in lung colonization using the combination of Tarvacin and docetaxel.
78% reduction in lung colonization using docetaxel as a single agent.
82% reduction in lung colonization using Tarvacin as a single agent.
Half of the animals treated with the combination of Tarvacin and docetaxel did not develop tumors at all.

Sources:

Cancer Research, May 15, 2005
Health & Medicine Week, 2005