NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

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Posted by Community Manager on 17/01/2014
Patient receives brain cancer vaccine
http://www.kingshealthpartners.org/news/patient-receives-brain-cancer-vaccine. A patient at King’s College Hospital is the first outside of the United States to take part in a pioneering brain cancer vaccine trial. Patient Robert Demeger, a 62-year-old actor from London, received the first dose of a personalised brain cancer vaccine in September 2013 and is doing well. The trial at King’s College Hospital follows trials in the USA that have already shown significant success in extending patients’ lives.
Robert was diagnosed with Glioblastoma mulltiforme (GBM) – the most common and most aggressive form of brain cancer – in June 2013.

The immune therapy creates a personalised vaccine using cells from the patient’s own tumour to ‘re-educate’ their white blood cells to attack the tumour cells. When this vaccine is administered to the patient it aims to slow down its recurrence and growth, extending the patient’s life.

The average life expectancy for this type of brain cancer is 12-18 months with conventional treatment. This trial of the DCVax therapy is the first of its kind to be held outside of the USA where it is showing promising results extending patients’ average survival to three years. For further information about how the vaccine works, please see the King’s College Hospital press release.

Following his surgery at King’s College Hospital, Robert underwent six weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy before starting the immune therapy trial. Robert continued to work at the National Theatre in Shakespeare’s Othello until he became too ill to continue.

“Occasionally, I feel low on energy sometimes, but I feel so privileged to have been a part of this trial, and potentially to have helped others in a similar position in the future,” said Robert. “I take each day as it comes. It is so important to be positive – to be optimistic. I am less inclined to take things for granted – I make sure I enjoy time with my wife and children.”

Mr Keyoumars Ashkan, Lead for Neuro-Oncology at King’s College Hospital, said: “Brain cancers are some of the most lethal cancers, and there is a great need for new and better treatments. The results from the clinical trials in the US were very encouraging and we hope that we see similar results here in the UK.”