Announced plans to initiate the Phase 2 FAWCETT study of axalimogene filolisbac (ADXS-HPV) in metastatic anal cancer this fall
Named trial in honor of Farrah Fawcett and her commitment to finding a cure for anal cancer and other HPV-associated cancers
PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 10, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advaxis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADXS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing cancer immunotherapies, today announced that the Farrah Fawcett Foundation honored Advaxis with the Foundation's inaugural "Medical Visionary Angel Award" on September 9, 2015, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. The event benefitted the Farrah Fawcett Foundation / Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) research team on HPV-related cancers and celebrated the life and legacy of actress Farrah Fawcett and her commitment to fund research for a cure for anal cancer, which took her life in 2009.
Advaxis also announced plans to commence enrollment this fall of a Phase 2 clinical study of Advaxis's lead investigational Lm Technology™ immunotherapy, axalimogene filolisbac (ADXS-HPV), in metastatic anal cancer. The study is to be called FAWCETT (Fighting Anal-Cancer with CTL Enhancing Tumor Therapy), in honor of Farrah Fawcett, and will be the company's second Phase 2 study of axalimogene filolisbac in anal cancer. The two-part, single-arm, open-label study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of axalimogene filolisbac as monotherapy in patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated metastatic anal cancer who have received at least one prior treatment regimen for advanced disease.
"We would like to thank the Farrah Fawcett Foundation for this honor," said Daniel J. O'Connor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Advaxis. "While there is still so much work to be done in this space, we are unwavering in our commitment to bring new treatments to market in anal cancer and other underserved HPV-associated cancers."
The FAWCETT study will enroll approximately 31 patients in Part A and approximately 24 patients in Part B. The primary efficacy endpoints include overall response rate and progression-free survival, and the secondary endpoints include evaluation of overall response rate and the safety/tolerability of the dose. Further information about the Phase 2 study can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov, using Identifier NCT02399813.
The Farrah Fawcett Foundation's "Medical Visionary Angel Award" is intended for companies that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to innovative research in anal cancer and HPV-related cancers. Advaxis was selected for the award due to the company's collaboration with Brown University Oncology Group on a Phase 1/2 clinical study conducted by Howard Safran, M.D., investigating axalimogene filolisbac in HPV-associated locally advanced anal cancer. The preliminary data showed treatment with axalimogene filolisbac indicated a clinical complete response and no recurrence in all 10 patients who completed the treatment regimen.
"When the Farrah Fawcett Foundation first invested in the cancer research at Brown University, we did so with great enthusiasm, knowing the work of Dr. Safran and appreciating the collaboration with Advaxis," said Alana Stewart, President and CEO of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. "Now we are proud to honor Advaxis for their continued research on underserved cancers and breakthrough discoveries in the treatment of anal cancer and other HPV-associated cancers."
The Brown University Oncology Group study has the potential to transition into a pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical trial in collaboration with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Foundation and NRG Oncology to evaluate the safety and efficacy of axalimogene filolisbac with or without chemotherapy and radiation as adjuvant treatment in high-risk, locally advanced anal cancer.
About the Farrah Fawcett Foundation
The mission of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation is to provide funding for cutting edge cancer research, to support prevention and awareness, and to help those struggling with cancer today. Farrah Fawcett was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006 and established the Foundation before her death in 2009. For more information, visit www.thefarrahfawcettfoundation.org and follow them on Facebook.
About Anal Cancer
Anal cancer is a fairly rare form of cancer in the United States, but the number of new anal cancer cases has been rising for years. The risk of being diagnosed with anal cancer in one's lifetime is about 1 in 500. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 7,270 new cases of anal cancer were diagnosed and about 1,010 people died of the disease in 2014.
About Axalimogene Filolisbac
Axalimogene filolisbac (ADXS-HPV) is Advaxis's lead Lm Technology™ immunotherapy candidate for the treatment of HPV-associated cancers and is in clinical trials for three potential indications: invasive cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, and anal cancer. In a completed randomized Phase 2 study in recurrent/refractory cervical cancer, axalimogene filolisbac showed apparent prolonged survival, objective tumor responses, and a manageable safety profile alone or in combination with chemotherapy, supporting further development of the company's Lm Technology™.
About Advaxis, Inc.
Located in Princeton, N.J., Advaxis, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing multiple cancer immunotherapies based on its proprietary Lm Technology™. The Lm Technology™, using bioengineered live attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) bacteria, is the only known cancer immunotherapy agent shown in preclinical studies to both generate cancer fighting T-cells directed against a cancer antigen and neutralize Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), that protect the tumor microenvironment from immunologic attack and contribute to tumor growth. Advaxis's lead Lm Technology™ immunotherapy, axalimogene filolisbac, targets human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers and is in clinical trials for three potential indications: Phase 2 in invasive cervical cancer, Phase 1/2 in head and neck cancer, and Phase 1/2 in anal cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted axalimogene filolisbac orphan drug designation for each of these three clinical settings. For additional information on Advaxis, visit www.advaxis.com and connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Google+.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: statements regarding Advaxis's ability to develop the next generation of cancer immunotherapies; and the safety and efficacy of Advaxis's proprietary immunotherapy, axalimogene filolisbac. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, including the risk factors set forth from time to time in Advaxis's SEC filings, including but not limited to its report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2014, which is available at http://www.sec.gov. Advaxis undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect the events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.