Avid Bioservices Inc (CDMO)

[BKT]

Interesting, may have been posted already, Biopharm mentions Dr. Mittendorf in his post on Feb 25 post 162941



Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Researchers report early progress in developing a treatment that might one day help the immune system defend itself against cancer.

The results of their study -- the first of three stages of research required of drug treatments in the United States -- suggest the treatment is safe. But they don't prove it works or which patients it could help. Nor do the researchers offer definitive details about factors such as cost.

Still, the findings are an example of "really sexy science" that holds promise, said Dr. Elizabeth Mittendorf, an oncologist and associate professor at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who was not involved with the study.

Willem Overwijk, also an associate professor at the Anderson Cancer Center, cautioned there are several caveats that could prevent the experimental treatment from becoming a successful medication.

The treatment is known as a cancer vaccine. These "have been promising without really delivering for decades," Overwijk said. "They are intended to activate the immune system to seek out and destroy cancer cells. So they are mostly intended for patients who already have cancer, and not preventively."